Donald Trump gives backing to Ron Johnson's 'right-to-try' legislation for terminally ill patients

MADISON – President Donald Trump gave a boost Tuesday in his State of the Union address to Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson’s “right-to-try” legislation that would give terminally ill patients access to experimental drugs.

The Senate passed the measure in August and it is now before the House.

“It’s time for Congress to give these wonderful, incredible Americans the right to try,” Trump said.

Johnson, a Republican, named his legislation after Trickett Wendler of Pewaukee and three others who faced life-threatening illnesses. Wendler died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2015.

The measure, which would allow terminally ill patients to use drugs that have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, is modeled on laws that are on the books in more than three dozen states.

In Wisconsin, such legislation got through the state Assembly last year but has not yet made it to the floor of the state Senate. As with Congress, both houses of the Wisconsin Legislature are controlled by Republicans.

Supporters say right-to-try laws give those with terminal illnesses the chance to find a cure using experimental drugs and new treatments. Critics say such laws offer false hope because the drugs are unproven and there's no guarantee drug companies will provide them to those who seek them.