Bill > HB1735

This bill expands New Hampshire's Right to Try Act to allow patients with chronic and debilitating illnesses (in addition to terminal illnesses) to access investigational drugs, biologics, and devices that have not yet been approved by the FDA. The bill redefines key terms, such as introducing a new definition for "qualifying severe illness" as a chronic and debilitating condition, and broadens the scope of potential treatments. It provides liability protections for manufacturers, healthcare providers, and facilities involved in administering these investigational treatments, ensuring they cannot be sued for harm if certain conditions are met, such as obtaining informed consent and not engaging in willful misconduct. The legislation aims to remove barriers to accessing potentially life-saving or life-improving treatments by allowing healthcare providers to conduct telehealth prescreenings and encouraging clinical trials and treatment development for severe illnesses. The bill does not require health insurers or state agencies to cover the costs of these investigational treatments and emphasizes that manufacturers and healthcare providers are not obligated to provide access to experimental treatments. Ultimately, the bill seeks to make New Hampshire more attractive for clinical research and provide more treatment options for patients with serious medical conditions.

Health and Social Services

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_Status/billinfo.aspx?id=2174&inflect=2