Montana’s ‘right‑to‑try’ law exposes systemic gaps in drug approval, disability support, and health equity across the US
Original framing: “Montana’s new “right to try” law can’t come soon enough for some” — MIT Technology Review
Families from low‑income, rural, and minority backgrounds often lack the legal resources to navigate “right‑to‑try” pathways, leading to unequal access. Disability advocates argue for universal coverage and transparent trial inclusion, yet these voices are silent in the piece. Their exclusion perpetuates the very inequities the law purports to address.
Montana’s “right‑to‑try” law surfaces a web of systemic failures—from fragmented federal drug‑approval mechanisms to under‑funded disability services—that leave families scrambling for isolated solutions.
Historical exclusions of marginalized groups, coupled with the absence of Indigenous and community‑based ethical frameworks, amplify inequities and risk unsafe, unmonitored treatments. By integrating adaptive trial designs, universal support structures, and culturally grounded oversight, policymakers can transform the law from a band‑aid into a catalyst for a more equitable, evidence‑based health system. Actors such as the FDA, state health agencies, disability advocacy coalitions, and Indigenous governance bodies must coordinate to rewrite the narrative from heroic desperation to collective resilience.