The bill amends the Right to Try Act to broaden the definition of eligible patients and the types of illnesses that can be treated under the act. It introduces the term "qualifying severe illness," which encompasses chronic and debilitating conditions, and modifies the definition of "terminal illness" to include diseases with high mortality risks. The bill also updates the definitions of "eligible patient" and "physician," replacing previous criteria with more general terms. Key changes include the allowance for "remote signing" of consent forms and "telehealth prescreening" to assess patient eligibility for clinical trials or investigational treatments.

Additionally, the bill provides legal protections for healthcare providers and facilities involved in administering investigational treatments, ensuring they cannot be penalized for their participation. It allows patients with qualifying severe illnesses to seek injunctive relief and reasonable attorney's fees against regulatory authorities that violate the act's provisions. The bill emphasizes the promotion of access to potentially life-saving or dramatically life-improving treatments, aiming to attract clinical trials and the development of relevant medical innovations in New Hampshire. The fiscal impact of the bill is indeterminable, as it may influence costs related to the judicial and correctional systems.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 126-Z:1, 126-Z:6, 126-Z:8
HB1735 text: 126-Z:1, 126-Z:6, 126-Z:8