By: Toth H.B. No. 638
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to access to certain investigational drugs, biological
  products, treatments, and devices by patients.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  (a)  This Act shall be known as the "Mary Lou's
  Law."
         (b)  The legislature finds that:
               (1)  the Right To Try Act, as added by Chapter 502 (H.B.
  21), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, has had
  tremendous success in saving the lives of many patients with a
  terminal illness;
               (2)  the process for approving the use of
  investigational drugs, biological products, treatments and devices
  by patients without a terminal illness who need access to the drugs,
  products, treatments or devices continues to take many years in the
  United States;
               (3)  patients who are battling a severe chronic disease
  that is debilitating or causes severe pain, do not have the luxury
  of waiting until an investigational drug, biological product, or
  device receives final approval from the United States Food and Drug
  Administration;
               (4)  the standards of the United States Food and Drug
  Administration for the use of investigational drugs, biological
  products, treatments, and devices may deny the benefits of
  potentially life-altering treatment to patients with a severe
  chronic disease;
               (5)  patients with a severe chronic disease have a
  fundamental right to attempt to pursue the preservation of their
  state of life by accessing available investigational drugs,
  biological products, and devices;
               (6)  the use of available investigational drugs,
  biological products, and devices is a decision that should be made
  by a patient with a severe chronic disease in consultation with the
  patient's physician and is not a decision to be made by the
  government; and
               (7)  the decision to use an investigational drug,
  biological product, or device should be made with full awareness of
  the potential risks, benefits, and consequences to a patient with a
  severe chronic disease and the patient's family.
         (c)  It is the intent of the legislature to allow patients
  with a severe chronic disease to use potentially life-altering
  investigational drugs, biological products, and devices.
         SECTION 2.  Subtitle C, Title 6, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Chapter 490 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 490. ACCESS TO INVESTIGATIONAL TREATMENTS FOR PATIENTS
  WITH SEVERE CHRONIC DISEASES
  SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
         Sec. 490.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Executive commissioner" means the executive
  commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission.
               (2)  "Investigational drug, biological product, or
  device" means a drug, biological product, or device that has
  successfully completed phase one of a clinical trial but has not yet
  been approved for general use by the United States Food and Drug
  Administration or its international equivalent and remains under
  investigation in the clinical trial.
               (3)  "Severe chronic disease" means a condition,
  injury, or illness that:
                     (A)  requires medical attention; and
                     (B)  entails significant functional impairment or
  severe pain that limits a person's activities of daily life.
         Sec. 490.002.  DESIGNATION OF SEVERE CHRONIC DISEASES. The
  executive commissioner by rule shall designate the medical
  conditions that are considered severe chronic diseases under this
  chapter.
  SUBCHAPTER B. ACCESS TO INVESTIGATIONAL DRUGS, BIOLOGICAL
  PRODUCTS, AND DEVICES FOR PATIENTS WITH SEVERE CHRONIC DISEASES
         Sec. 490.051.  PATIENT ELIGIBILITY. A patient is eligible
  to access and use an investigational drug, biological product, or
  device under this chapter if:
               (1)  the patient has a severe chronic disease
  designated by the executive commissioner under Section 490.002 and
  attested to by the patient's treating physician;
               (2)  the use of the investigational drug, biological
  product, or device is consistent with this chapter and rules
  adopted under this chapter; and
               (3)  the patient's physician:
                     (A)  in consultation with the patient, has
  considered all other treatment options currently approved by the
  United States Food and Drug Administration and determined that
  those treatment options are unavailable or unlikely to provide
  relief for the significant impairment or severe pain associated
  with the patient's severe chronic disease; and
                     (B)  has recommended or prescribed in writing that
  the patient use a specific class of investigational drug,
  biological product, or device.
         Sec. 490.052.  INFORMED CONSENT. (a) Before receiving an
  investigational drug, biological product, or device, an eligible
  patient must sign a written informed consent. If the patient is a
  minor or lacks the mental capacity to provide informed consent, a
  parent, guardian, or conservator may provide informed consent on
  the patient's behalf.
         (b)  The executive commissioner by rule may adopt a form for
  the informed consent required under this section.
         Sec. 490.053.  NO CAUSE OF ACTION CREATED. This chapter does
  not create a private or state cause of action against a manufacturer
  of an investigational drug, biological product, or device or
  against any other person or entity involved in the care of an
  eligible patient using the investigational drug, biological
  product, or device for any harm done to the eligible patient
  resulting from the investigational drug, biological product, or
  device.
         Sec. 490.054.  STATE MAY NOT INTERFERE WITH ACCESS TO
  INVESTIGATIONAL DRUG, BIOLOGICAL PRODUCT, OR DEVICE. An official,
  employee, or agent of this state may not block or attempt to block
  an eligible patient's access to an investigational drug, biological
  product, or device under this chapter.
  SUBCHAPTER C.  HEALTH INSURANCE
         Sec. 490.101.  EFFECT ON HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR CLINICAL
  TRIAL ENROLLEES. This chapter does not affect the coverage of
  enrollees in clinical trials under Chapter 1379, Insurance Code.
  SUBCHAPTER D. PHYSICIANS
         Sec. 490.151.  ACTION AGAINST PHYSICIAN'S LICENSE
  PROHIBITED. Notwithstanding any other law, the Texas Medical Board
  may not revoke, fail to renew, suspend, or take any action against a
  physician's license under Subchapter B, Chapter 164, Occupations
  Code, based solely on the physician's recommendations to an
  eligible patient regarding access to or treatment with an
  investigational drug, biological product, or device, provided that
  the recommendations made to the patient meet the medical standard
  of care.
         SECTION 3.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
  Services Commission by rule shall designate the medical conditions
  that are severe chronic diseases as required by Section 490.002,
  Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2023.