PHI-FPX3200 A Right to Experimental Drugs? Costs and Gains Associated with Experimental Drugs

Experimental drugs offer opportunities to prevent severe complications and premature deaths. The benefits include offering hope to patients with complex and chronic conditions. Ideally, patients do not have to wait for long due to the extensive development and approval of new drugs (Mahant, 2020). Additionally, the thorough research and development procedures associated with experimental drugs increase the level of confidence in using them for complex situations. However, chronically ill patients with declining cognitive and physical abilities may have challenges processing details on the drawbacks and benefits of experimental drugs (Mahant, 2020). Patients’ failure to participate in clinical trials raises questions about acceptability of experimental drugs. Despite the drawbacks, experimental drugs remain a viable option for patients hoping to increase their chances of surviving.

Addressing Access to Pre-Approved Drugs

Patients with chronic and complex conditions seek alternatives with the potential to prolong life. For example, patients infected with high-risk viruses such as Ebola can benefit from pre-approved treatments to prevent severe complications and mortality risks (Sibanda, 2019). Similarly, the risks of mass casualties, social, and economic loses make experimental drugs appropriate for reducing health burden for the larger population. Thus, more people are free from viral infections that associated with mass deaths (O’Connor, 2019). However, questions emerge over the commercialized nature of the drug manufacturing process such that organizations benefit than the intended patients. The slow approval processes also limit more patients from accessing experimental drugs. Thus, manufacturers and the FDA should focus on ensuring that vulnerable populations affected by health disparities benefit from timely production and approval of experimental drugs.

Conclusion

Experimental drugs offer opportunities to patients to recover. The extensive clinical trials and approval processes enhance credibility of alternative treatments in handling patients with complex and chronic conditions. Adherence to ethical principles and theories enables care team to allow patients more freedom to make independent decisions. Accurate and complete description of drawbacks and benefits of experimental drugs is necessary to enable individuals to make decisions that match their values and preferences.

References

Dugan, D. (2019). Appreciating the legacy of Kübler-Ross: One clinical ethicist’s perspective. The American Journal of Bioethics, 19(12), 5-9. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15265161.2019.1676591