Why do we need to defeat Donald Trump and ensure that a Democrat occupies the White House? In follow up to yesterday’s comments on his mendacity, let’s consider Trump’s claims on “Right to Try”.
In his acceptance speech in Milwaukee last night, Donald Trump tried to follow a Manchurian Candidate script, carefully crafted to make him appear heroic and measured. It worked – for a while -but then his true nature emerged and he swerved off into a series of megalomaniacally absurd claims about his “nobody’s ever seen anything like it” accomplishments, this time including his having saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of terminal patients by passing the Right to Try act. Fact?
Not a chance. Right to try laws were in place in 41 states, so that the federal law only impacted nine others. What is federal “Right to Try”.
It gives terminal patients, who have failed conventional, approved therapies, the theoretical ability to receive treatment with drugs that are very early in their research development and have only passed Phase one safety testing.
“Critics of the legislation say it is likely to give desperately ill patients false hope and undercut the power of the FDA.“ They are correct.
In actuality, the FDA was already granting approval for use of experimental drugs in such circumstances in almost all instances. In other words, it represents just another cynical grift? Well yes, but at least the Republicans have a heart and offer a last hope to the dying, right?
Unfortunately, not. As noted, this opportunity was already available by law in 41 states. Furthermore, the Republican’s Right to Try legislation neither forces physicians to prescribe specific experimental therapies, nor compels manufacturers to provide the drug and does not even offer a means to pay for it.
Finally, the chance that such an experimental drug will miraculously cure is, well miraculous, meaning that it rarely ever provides substantial benefit. Less than 4% of new drugs are ultimately approved. In other words, a minimum of two and a half million terminal patients would have to receive such treatment to conceivably benefit one hundred thousand. And because safety information is limited, many will have their final days worsened by drug side effects and complications. Even desperate patients can see through this false façade. Very few apply for experimental treatment under federal Right to Try. Certainly, the federal Right to Try program has not saved “hundreds of thousands” of lives. This is yet another example of a Trump whopper. You cannot believe a word he says.
Have a heart and vote for Democratic candidates – across the ballot – in November.
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