A measure that would allow certain patients to access customized, experimental medical treatments is headed back to the Senate after clearing the Oklahoma House.
Senate Bill 933, authored in the House by Oklahoma Representative Marilyn Stark, creates the Right to Try for Individualized Treatments Act. The proposal would establish a pathway for patients with life-threatening or severely debilitating illnesses to pursue investigational treatments tailored to their genetic profile when no approved options remain.
“Medicine is changing fast, especially when it comes to treatments built around a person’s genetic makeup,” Stark said.
Under the bill, eligible patients could seek physician-approved treatments with informed consent. Participation by drug manufacturers would be voluntary, and the measure does not require insurance coverage.
The legislation also sets eligibility standards, requires disclosure of potential risks, and limits liability for providers and manufacturers acting in good faith. It further prohibits state entities from blocking patient access to these treatments.
Oklahoma Senator Brenda Stanley is the Senate author of the measure.
“This bill broadens access to innovative treatments, offering hope to terminally ill patients who have exhausted all approved options and cannot participate in clinical trials,” Stanley said.
Supporters say the proposal builds on similar laws in other states and is intended to give patients more options without needing to travel out of the country for care.
The bill now returns to the Senate for consideration of House amendments.
