Back in February, after I testified on behalf of FIC Action in favor of H.B. 6709 “An Act Concerning the Right to Try Experimental Drugs,” I received a very nice thank-you note from Debra Gove.

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A Durham woman with ALS, Gove strongly supports increasing access to potentially life-saving treatments for patients facing a terminal diagnosis — patients who do not have years to wait for full FDA approval. With a few caveats, FIC Action joins our allies in the disability rights community to support this life-affirming, hope-imparting bill.

While the Right to Try also has something to do with “end of life choices,” there is all the difference in the world between this and the fatal despair offered by assisted suicide. And because that one “choice” is a singular obsession for a handful of hardcore activists, our opponents — unfortunately, but predictably — were nowhere to be found.

H.B. 6709, the Right to Try bill, had bipartisan support in the Public Health Committee. Now it has been referred to Judiciary and is on Monday’s agenda.

Debra’s thank-you note remains on my bedside table as a reminder of how very personally this legislation will make a difference for people in our state (and around the country, as it catches on). Please tell your representatives that you support Debra and the Right to Try. Let’s get this important bill passed!