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At the Alabama State House in Montgomery for passage of the Gabe Griffin Right To Try Act on May 28, 2015, were Michael Staley, 10-year-old Gabe Griffin, state Rep. April Weaver who sponsored the bill, dad Scott Griffin with Gabe's twin Addison and 11-year-old Cooper Griffin and supporter Glenn Nivens. (Martin J. Reed / mreed@al.com)

With today's Alabama Legislature approval of a bill to help give terminally ill patients access to certain experimental drugs, the Shelby County boy for whom the legislation is named could be one day closer to fulfilling dreams of running with friends, climbing stairs without struggling or riding a bike.

Gabe Griffin, a 10-year-old who is one of about 15,000 in the U.S. with a rare genetic disorder called Duchenne muscular dystrophy that causes a constant deterioration of muscles and usually leads to an early death, received a round of applause by House members after this morning's 97-0 vote for final passage.

The bill sponsored by state Rep. April Weaver of Brierfield and Sen. Cam Ward of Alabaster carried the name Gabe Griffin's Right To Try Act.

"Gabe is a special young man and an inspiration to so many, and I'm hopeful this law will bring him and his family one step closer to a cure," Weaver said in a statement. "The medical research community is on the verge of developing personalized treatments that could help children like Gabe and we must do everything we can to help them win their fight against time."

The legislation will provide terminally ill patients with access to drugs that have successfully completed phase 1 of a clinical trial but have not yet been approved for general use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"It will allow us to have the discussions because right now we can't even go and pursue it with any drug company that might benefit Gabe because the drugs are not FDA approved," Gabe's dad, Scott Griffin, said in an interview at the Alabama State House this morning. "But what this will allow us to do is start the discussions in pursuit of the drugs that could potentially save him."

Clutching an iPad with a Disney movie streaming on it and headphones around his neck, Gabe seemed shy when talking about the potentially life-saving legislation. With the legislation that awaits Gov. Robert Bentley's signature, Gabe is hopeful.

"I can do anything," he said, when asked what he hopes will result from the bill. He said he wants to get "medicine" so that he can "do all kinds of things."

Parents Scott and Traci Griffin know the legislation does not guarantee a cure for their son. "He thinks once the governor signs it, he's getting the drug," Scott Griffin said. "I had to explain to him at breakfast this morning that this is the first step in a longer process."

Today's House approval that happened without any discussion from lawmakers started last year with a cross-country cycling journey totaling more than 3,000 miles to raise awareness of Gabe Griffin and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Michael Staley, who was at the time chief of staff for then-U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, and another individual rode their bicycles more than 3,000 miles from Oregon to Mobile. "We appreciate Governor Bentley's support as we had discussions with him during the Ride For Gabe last year," Staley said this morning.

The legislation would allow patients with a terminal illness the opportunity to try a "drug, biological product, or device that has successfully completed phase 1 of a clinical trial but has not yet been approved for general use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and remains under investigation in a U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved clinical trial."

When the Senate passed the legislation on April 30, Ward told lawmakers the legislation does not permit the use of marijuana or other illegal substances in Alabama.

Proponents say 18 other states have passed similar legislation, which Scott Griffin said opens the opportunity for dialogue with drug companies that could one day save Gabe and others with terminal illnesses.

"We can't even have the discussion, so the only way he can get those drugs right now is if he meets all the clinical trial criteria and he's accepted into the clinical trial, which is narrow in scope in most cases. Probably one of the most important things is in any clinical trial, he could get a placebo whereas if we're able to negotiate with the drug companies successfully then we know for certain he's getting the drug and no placebo," the father said.

Danne Howard, senior vice president of the Alabama Hospital Association based in Montgomery, said she helped with the legislation's language to help protect medical workers and institutions from adverse results that could occur with experimental drugs.

"The immunity language that says hospitals and physicians who are participants when these medicines are taken outside of clinical trial ... it will be important that the physician who suggests or gives them information or the hospital where the patient is treated for these drugs would not be liable for anything that may result in a negative outcome that directly results from the investigational drug," Howard said in an interview this morning at the State House.

Like many others, Howard said she became passionate about her desire to help Gabe find a cure while working on the legislation. "Through working on this, I just got to know the family and got to know Gabe and he stole my heart," she said.

Scott Griffin said he hopes the legislation that carries his son's name will help save lives in Alabama. "That's a pretty powerful legacy for him to be able to look back at some point and say, 'Even if it's just one person, I was able to help save one life, even just one person.' Of course, I hope it's Gabe," he said.