Lawmakers Push “Right to Try” Experimental Drugs
by Edgar Walters, The Texas Tribune – February 25, 2015
It’s kind of like Dallas Buyers Club: A group of sick Texans is seeking to gain access to experimental drugs — only this time, a flurry of state lawmakers is rushing to help them.
Eleven of Texas’ 31 state senators have put their names on a proposal that would allow terminally ill patients to try investigational drugs that have passed at least the first of three FDA trial phases, once the patient has exhausted other treatment options. There is a similar proposal in the House.
Five states have already passed so-called right-to-try laws, and lawmakers in a dozen other states are likely to consider similar legislation this year.
In Austin, the movement to pass such laws hits a personal chord. Well-known state Capitol lobbyist Andrea Sloan waged a public battle with ovarian cancer, seeking federal permission to try an experimental treatment in 2013, shortly before her death.
“She was left with no options,” said Michelle Wittenburg, a friend of Sloan’s and an advocate for right-to-try laws. “There were no clinical trials available to her.”
But Sloan had to wait more than three weeks to get approval — a process Wittenburg said she could have avoided, had Texas had a right-to-try law on the books.
Notably, the right-to-try bills would not require that drug companies provide the treatment or that insurance plans cover the costs. For that reason, some critics have labeled the statehouse proposals “placebo legislation,” noting that changes to the FDA drug approval process would have to be written in Washington.
But that hasn’t fazed the groups advocating for the right-to-try laws, most notably the libertarian Goldwater Institute, which has helped state lawmakers draft bill language.
“We truly believe this is a state issue,” said Kurt Altman, national policy adviser for the Arizona-based institute. “We believe terminally ill patients should have access to potentially life-saving medication.”
Critics of the laws say they could endanger patients, even if the legislators voting for them do so with good intentions.
“It sets such a low bar for patient safety,” said Dr. David Gorski, a surgeon in Michigan who has written about the right-to-try movement. “In reality, I think these laws are about as anti-patient as it gets.”
State Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, said he was motivated to file a right-to-try bill, House Bill 438, after learning about Sloan’s battle with cancer.
“Hers is one of countless stories of people trying to get access to experimental medication,” said Canales, who wrote the legislation with help from the Goldwater Institute. “It is a federal issue, but I think it will send a message to Congress to do something.”
“Why is government standing in the way of a potential cure?” said state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, who filed a separate right-to-try bill, Senate Bill 694, on Monday.
In fact, the FDA already has a process for helping the terminally ill access unapproved drugs, called the “compassionate use” program. But only about 1,000 patients take advantage of the program each year, according to the Goldwater Institute.
Both critics and supporters of the right-to-try legislation agree that the Texas bills stand a very good chance of becoming law.
“Voting against these laws is about as palatable to most people as criticizing Mom’s apple pie and the American flag,” Gorski said. “It’s passed everywhere that it’s been introduced.”
This story was produced in partnership with Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan health policy research and communication organization not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at http://www.texastribune.org/2015/02/25/lawmakers-push-right-try-experimental-drugs/.
Wildcats Sports Update
The Lady Cats and Wildcats’ soccer teams ended up playing a doubleheader at Mt. Pleasant Tuesday night. The Lady Cats match was moved from Prim Stadium due to weather and condition of the field.
As they did the first time they played in Mt. Pleasant, the Lady Cats squeezed out a 1-0 win over the Lady Tigers. The Lady Cats are now 5-4 in district play. They’ll travel to Pine Tree Friday night. The Lady Pirates won an earlier game between the two at Prim Stadium back on February 3.
The Wildcats had a tough night Tuesday night against one of the district’s very best as the Tigers defeated the Wildcats, 6-1. Mt. Pleasant also won handily at Prim Stadium back on January 30. The Wildcats are now 3-6 in district play. They will play host to Pine Tree Friday night weather permitting. The Pirates downed the Wildcats in Pine Tree back on February 3.
In other news, the Lady Cats’ golf team was supposed to play at Garden Valley County Club in Lindale Thursday. That tournament has been canceled. Also the Sulphur Springs Track Meet scheduled for Friday evening at the High School Track has been canceled.
Cooper Man Killed
A 54-year old Cooper man was killed in a one-vehicle accident in the Tira area of Hopkins County just after 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. The deceased has been identified as Jubal Lawson. The man was driving southbound on Highway 19 North near County Road 4777 when his vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree. Weather was not a factor in the accident. Justice of the Peace B.J. Teer pronounced the man dead at the scene.
Courtesy of Cindy Roller/Cooper Review
The accident is being investigated by DPS Trooper Brandon Stribling.
City of Sulphur Springs Prepares for Icy Weather
What does the city of Sulphur Springs do to get ready for or react to icy weather? Not much according to City Manager Marc Maxwell and he explains why.
Solicitation of a Minor
A 25-year old Greenville man was arrested shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday for setting up a meeting for sex with a person under 17 years of age. Ricky Lynn Hoots was charged with on-line solicitation of a minor before Justice of the Peace B.J. Teer who set bond at $50,000.
The man was arrested by law enforcement officers as he showed up at the meeting site on League Street.
The man thought he was trading text messages with a juvenile when he was actually communicating with a law enforcement officer.
Winter Weather Advisory Extended until 2 p.m. Wednesday
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON…
* LOCATION…THIS STATEMENT IS FOR AREAS NORTHEAST OF A LINE FROM
SHERMAN TO CANTON.
* TIMING…NOW THROUGH 2 PM TODAY.
* PRECIPITATION TYPE…SNOW.
* ACCUMULATIONS…UP TO AN ADDITIONAL HALF INCH IS POSSIBLE OVER
THE ADVISORY AREA.
* MAIN IMPACT…ACCUMULATING SNOW MAY MAKE TRAVEL ON ROADWAYS…
BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES HAZARDOUS. MOST OF THE SNOW IS EXPECTED
TO BE WET AND SLUSHY AND SHOULD MELT OFF OF ROADS LATER TODAY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF WINTER
PRECIPITATION MAY CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND PLAN ON SOME TRAVEL DELAYS.
One of the Busiest Gardening Months of the Year is Here.
Texas AgriLife Extension recommendations for March by M.C.Hansen, extension horticulturist for East Texas include the following: March weather for Northeast Texas can be very fickle – it could still freeze since average last freeze is around March 12, and yet it still could be very balmy and pleasant most of the month. Freezing weather mainly affects the timing of planting cold-sensitive plants, like tomatoes or begonias. If you decide to take chances with tender plants, be prepared to give them a protective covering.
PLANTING
March is a great month to plant almost every kind of landscape plant. The sooner you plant, the quicker the plant will start getting established. This is important if the plants are to do well through the hot, stressful summer. Nurseries are receiving weekly shipments of fresh nursery stock, and this is prime to buy and plant!
Sometimes, though, eager gardeners jump the gun on some yard and garden chores which might be better delayed to later in spring. For example, many folks will apply fertilizer in early spring to try and force the grass to green up early. However, based on latest research, turfgrass experts recommend delaying fertilizing warm season lawn grasses (St. Augustine and Bermuda) until April, and to wait to fertilize Centipede until May. Spring green-up results from nutrients that were stored by the grass last fall (hence the importance of fall fertilization). Pushing the lawn too hard in the early spring could result in a weaker root system going into the summer. Tall fescue is an exception and should be fertilized now.
Caladium bulbs require warm soil temperatures, and setting them out in early spring can cause them to rot. Go ahead and purchase them as soon as they are available, but wait until the soil temperature reaches 70 degrees F to plant them.
Periwinkles or vinca is a bedding plant which also loves hot weather. When set out before the days turn truly hot, they often get a fungal disease that can destroy a whole bed of periwinkles. Mild, wet, spring weather provides the perfect environment for this devastating disease which, unfortunately, has discouraged many gardeners from planting them altogether. Periwinkle is still a great bedding plant for summer color – the just simply wait until May or early June to plant them.
LAWNS
– Control winter weeds by starting your regular mowing regime. Get your mower blade sharpened now before the spring repair rush. If you decide to scalp your lawn, wait until all danger of freezing is over. The average last freeze for our area is mid-March. Iif you do scalp, turn that huge amount of clippings into a fine soil amendment by composting it rather than filling up the landfill with it.
If you missed applying a preemergent weed preventer in February and you had a summer weed problem in your lawn last year (such as grass burs), then go ahead and make an application now. You may have missed a portion of the weeds which germinate in early spring (like crabgrass), but will still control the many other types that can germinate anytime during the warm part of the year.
As mentioned above, wait to fertilize your St. Augustine or Bermuda lawn until April, or after you have mowed actively growing grass (not weeds) twice.
PRUNING
– Pruning of evergreen and summer flowering trees and shrubs should be completed this month. But, prune spring flowering shrubs (forsythia, quince, azaleas, spirea, etc) only after they finish blooming, if needed. Hydrangeas also bloom on prior year’s growth, so prune after they bloom.
Shear back Asiatic jasmine, if needed, just as new growth starts to encourage new growth from the base.
As the lovely blooms of daffodils and jonquils fade away, it is tempting to remove or hide the leaves. However, let them yellow naturally. Next year’s flower buds are being formed at this time, and healthy, green leaves are needed to insure an even better display next year.
LANDSCAPING
– After camellias and azaleas finish blooming, fertilize them with 2 to 3 pounds of azalea-camellia fertilizer per 100 square feet of bed area.
This is a good time to start hanging baskets of petunias, begonias, impatiens and other annuals. Hanging baskets add another dimension to the landscape, allowing you to bring color and accents to other areas around your house.
Dig and divide summer and fall blooming perennials this month. Fall asters, chrysanthemums, salvia and other summer/fall perennials can be invigorated and increased for expanding your beds or sharing/trading with other gardeners.
The mulch underneath azalea, camellia and other shrubs may have partially decomposed, adding organic matter to the soil, but leaving areas suitable for weed invasion. Add more where needed, using organic mulches such as pine needles, pine bark or cypress bark.
Begin fertilizing roses every 4 to 6 weeks from now until September. You also need to begin a spray program for controlling blackspot on roses. Uncontrolled blackspot will defoliate most hybrid tea, grandiflora and floribunda roses, causing them to decline in vigor.
VEGETABLES
– Last freeze dates guide us as to when it should be safe to plant frost-tender vegetables and annuals. Just be ready to protect frost-sensitive plants in case of a late freeze.
Planting of cool season vegetables (transplant broccoli, cabbage, and collards, and seed carrots, collards, mustard greens, lettuce, radish, turnips, Swiss chard and spinach) should be finished real soon, and summer vegetables can begin to be sown and transplanted later in March. Delay planting okra, sweet potatoes, okra and peppers until April since they don’t do well in cool soil.
FERTILIZING
Fertilize vegetables about a month after growth starts with nitrogen fertilizer.
Fruit and pecan trees should be fertilized this month with nitrogen applied in the area beneath the ends of the branches, never against the trunk. Shrubs and annual flower beds can be fertilized with a complete, balanced fertilizer. Slow-release formulations, though slightly more expensive, feed your plants over a longer period of time. Often the same type of fertilizer recommended for use on the lawn can be used in the landscape.
Watch out for aphids that rapidly build up on tender new growth. They can be controlled with a sharp stream of water, insecticidal soap or other insecticides (be sure to read the product label to determine whether the infested plants are included on the label).
For more information on this or any other agricultural topic please call the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email me at [email protected].
Mario A. Villarino DVM, Ph.D.
County Extension Agent for Ag and Natural Resources
Hopkins County
1200 B Houston Street
Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482
Sulphur Springs Man Arrested for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender
A 22-year old Sulphur Springs man was arrested at the Hopkins County Courthouse Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. for failure to register as a sex offender.
Jodice ‘Fatdaddy’ Oliver Macon was arrested by a Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputy after an indictment was returned against the man.
District Judge Eddie Northcutt set a $15,000 Personal Recognizance Bond for the man.
You can view the Texas Department of Public Safety Page for Macon here.
‘The Voice’ Keeps Us All on the Edge of Our Seats
Producers of ‘The Voice’ (now in season 8) must be keeping the best for last. My household was glued to the television yet again last night, and was once again disappointed when local talent Hannah Kirby did not make her appearance. To make matters worse, Kirby and her people are not allowed to talk anyone about any aspect of her upcoming appearance.
All viewers can do is continue to watch ‘The Voice’ next week. The next installment will be Monday 7PM.
Special Chamber of Commerce Lunch
Employment Laws: Fact and Fiction is the subject of a luncheon planned by the Workforce Committee of the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce. The luncheon is set for Tuesday March 3 from noon until 1:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, according to Meredith Caddell, Chamber executive. The luncheon is one of a Better Business Series planned for 2015. The purpose of the luncheons is to present helpful information to businesses of any size, but especially to small businesses in Sulphur Springs.
The luncheon in March will answer such questions as what questions can and cannot be asked of prospective employees during the interview process, who is an independent contractor and who is not, exempt and non-exempt employees, best practices and policies for discipline and termination of employees, and other pertinent information. A 20-minute question and answer time will follow.
The lunch is $15. Contact the Chamber of Commerce to register for the event.
