[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15847-15848]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING MATT BELLINA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share the story of my 
constituent, Matt Bellina, of Holland, Pennsylvania.
  On April 9, 2014, at the age of 30, Matt was diagnosed with ALS, 
otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's disease. ALS attacks the nerve cells in 
the brain and the spinal cord, causing those with ALS to lose control 
of their muscles.
  Matt graduated from Virginia Tech in May 2005 and received his 
commission into the U.S. Navy as a naval aviator. Following the onset 
of his symptoms, which include cramping hands, twitching arms, 
stiffness in his legs, Matt was grounded from flying. He continued to 
serve in the Navy in an administrative capacity until he medically 
retired in 2014, with the rank of lieutenant commander.
  He eventually moved back home to Bucks County with his wife, Caitlin, 
and his young children to be surrounded by family and friends.
  Although this disease stopped Matt's career in its tracks, he 
persisted and actively involved himself in the ALS community and became 
a strong advocate for right-to-try legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, each year Americans like Matt Bellina receive the 
devastating news of a terminal diagnosis. Even with the amazing work 
done in American medical research, for too many families, access to 
these potentially lifesaving treatments will come too late or not at 
all.
  Thousands of terminally ill patients suffer needlessly while awaiting 
final approval for drugs, therapies, and other medical technologies. 
While the Food and Drug Administration carries out its three-phase 
approval process, which can take years and cost billions of dollars, 
many patients simply want the chance to try treatments that are already 
demonstrated to be safe. A bill that was unanimously passed by the

[[Page 15848]]

Senate will offer them a chance to extend their lives.
  The Right to Try Act would ensure that terminally ill patients, 
together with their physicians and pharmaceutical manufacturers, can 
administer investigational treatments where no alternative exists. In 
fact, this bipartisan idea is already the law in 37 States.
  A Federal right-to-try law would prevent the government from blocking 
access to potentially lifesaving medications. It would require patients 
to first try all other available treatments and be unable to 
participate in clinical trials.
  For those patients caught between the traditional drug approval 
delays, the clinical trial process for which they do not qualify, and 
limited time, the right to try simply establishes the freedom for 
patients and their doctors to try therapies where the benefits far 
outweigh the risks. It gives them an option of trying to save their 
life.
  Mr. Speaker, whether it is a father courageously battling ALS or a 
brave child living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, they deserve the 
right to try.

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