Connelly's 'Right-to-Try' legislation passes Illinois Senate

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Terminally-ill patients who are seeking potentially lifesaving treatments won a small victory April 16 when the Senate unanimously passed “Right to Try” legislation sponsored by State Sen. Michael Connelly (R-Wheaton).

“I am pleased that ‘Right to Try’ passed the Senate with such overwhelming support and I am confident it will receive similar support in the House of Representatives. The Illinois ‘Right to Try’ Act serves as a model of bipartisan cooperation to provide our constituents with access to new medicines to help save their lives,” Connelly said.

Senate Bill 29 would give terminally-ill patients access to clinical-trial, experimental medical treatments and medications. “Right to Try” offers terminally-ill citizens afflicted with HIV, ALS, cancer or a litany of other serious conditions access to experimental treatments.

Senate Bill 29 passed with a unanimous vote of 52-0. Similar legislation is being sponsored in the House of Representatives by State Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), where it passed 114-1 on April 15.