WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HB 1333

Individualized Investigational Treatments

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Anne Gerwig

Failed Florida bill would have allowed terminally ill patients to access unapproved experimental treatments outside FDA-regulated clinical trials.

Died in Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
#subjectindex
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 1333

Legislative bill overview

HB 1333 would have established a legal pathway for terminally ill patients in Florida to access experimental treatments that have not yet completed FDA approval processes. The bill aimed to create an "right to try" framework, allowing physicians to administer investigational drugs, biologics, and devices to qualifying patients outside standard clinical trial protocols.

Why is this important

This addresses a fundamental tension in medical ethics: balancing patient autonomy and desperation against scientific rigor and safety standards. Terminally ill patients often have no approved treatment options remaining, yet experimental therapies may carry unknown risks. The bill's failure reflects ongoing debate about whether dying patients should have unrestricted access to unproven treatments.

Potential points of contention

  • Safety vs. hope: Unproven treatments could cause suffering or accelerate death, but denying access to desperate patients raises ethical concerns about government restricting end-of-life choices
  • Data collection: Allowing widespread use of investigational treatments outside controlled trials complicates the FDA's ability to gather safety and efficacy data that protects future patients
  • Liability and liability shield: Questions arose about who bears responsibility if experimental treatments harm patients, and whether manufacturers would receive legal protection

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.