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President Donald Trump signed legislation Wednesday aimed at helping people with deadly diseases try experimental treatments, calling it a “fundamental freedom” that will offer hope and save lives. Joined by families dealing with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, and other diseases, Trump signed the so-called Right to Try bill and said he never understood why the issue had lagged for years and Congress hadn’t acted sooner. (Thomas, 5/30)

Most Democrats and public health groups oppose the bill, arguing that it could put patients in danger. “FDA oversight of access to experimental treatments exists for a reason — it protects patients from potential snake oil salesmen or from experimental treatments that might do more harm than good,” said Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.), ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. (Hellmann, 5/30)

President Trump claimed that a new law allowing access to experimental drugs would save “hundreds of thousands” of lives. But there is already a federal program in place, and similar state laws have had a minimal effect. (Qiu, 5/30)