Patients barred from obtaining experimental drugs

In a closely watched case, a federal appeals court has ruled that dying patients do not have a right to obtain experimental drugs--even if their doctor cites it as their best hope of survival. A majority of the judges declared that federal regulators are given the authority to determine when experimental drugs should become available. Advocates of making pipeline drugs available to the public, the judges added, should make their case to Congress. The Abigail Alliance for Better Access to Developmental Drugs brought the case to court and have no intention of abandoning their argument now. The advocates say they will pursue the case to the Supreme Court for a final ruling.

- read the report from the San Jose Mercury News

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