Post by Logan on May 15, 2016 5:31:08 GMT -6
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Lawmakers on Thursday passed two bills aimed at enabling critically ill patients to access experimental prescription drugs.
The bill that cleared the Senate 33 to 1 would require health insurance companies to cover the use of “off-label” drugs to treat life-threatening illness, provided that the drugs are approved for some other use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
A separate bill that cleared the House unanimously would allow the terminally ill to try experimental drugs that have not yet been cleared for use by the FDA.
The sponsors of the bills say the goal is to ensure that the critically ill have access to treatments that could potentially save their lives.
Read more: www.providencejournal.com/news/20160512/experimental-drug-treatment-bills-pass-ri-house-senate
The bill that cleared the Senate 33 to 1 would require health insurance companies to cover the use of “off-label” drugs to treat life-threatening illness, provided that the drugs are approved for some other use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
A separate bill that cleared the House unanimously would allow the terminally ill to try experimental drugs that have not yet been cleared for use by the FDA.
The sponsors of the bills say the goal is to ensure that the critically ill have access to treatments that could potentially save their lives.
Read more: www.providencejournal.com/news/20160512/experimental-drug-treatment-bills-pass-ri-house-senate