Morals in Medicine: Lawmakers Debate Experimental Treatment Centers

A bill that would allow for the creation of experimental treatment centers in Montana has perked the ears of venture capitalists and biotech companies nationwide, but legislators on both sides of the aisle remain skeptical.

Senate Bill 535 is an extension of the federal Right to Try Act, which allows terminally ill patients to try experimental treatments that have passed phase one of clinical trials but are not yet accepted medical practice. Patients are also only eligible if they have exhausted all FDA-approved treatment options.

The bill follows efforts across the nation to expand the standa...