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H.R. 878: Right to Try Act of 2017

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H.R. 878: Right to Try Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-02-06 · Health · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2017-02-06 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Right to Try Act of 2017

Plain summary

Right to Try Act of 2017 This bill requires the federal government to allow unrestricted manufacturing, distribution, prescribing, and dispensing of experimental drugs, biological products, and medical devices that are: (1) intended to treat a patient who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and (2) authorized by state law. The federal government must allow unrestricted possession and use of such treatments by patients certified by a physician as having exhausted all other treatment options. A manufacturer, distributor, prescriber, dispenser, possessor, or user of such a treatment has no liability regarding the treatment. The outcome of manufacture, distribution, prescribing, dispensing, possession, or use of such a treatment may not be used by a federal agency to adversely impact review or approval of the treatment. The treatment must: (1) have successfully completed a phase 1 (initial, small scale) clinical trial; (2) remain under investigation in a clinical trial approved by the Food and Drug Administration; and (3) not be approved, licensed, or cleared for sale under the Federal Food, Drug, or Cosmetic Act or the Public Health Service Act.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Right to Try Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5] · 89 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), André Carson (D-IN), Andy Barr (R-KY), Jim Banks (R-IN), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), David Schweikert (R-AZ), Darrell Issa (R-CA), H. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Don Bacon (R-NE), Jodey C. Arrington (R-TX), J. Luis Correa (D-CA), Paul A. Gosar (R-AZ), Rick W. Allen (R-GA), Andy Harris (R-MD), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Roger Marshall (R-KS), J. French Hill (R-AR), Ted Budd (R-NC), Claudia Tenney (R-NY) and 29 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5] reported raising $28,246 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Authorization
A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong115-hr878 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115