Jordan McLinn, a 9-year-old boy battling muscular dystrophy, got the chance to hug President Trump after several unsuccessful attempts while the president signed the Right to Try Act. The bill will enable people with terminal illnesses like Jordan to try experimental treatments and bypass the Food and Drug Administration.
McLinn has a deadly form of muscular dystrophy. He and his mom have been vocal proponents of the Right to Try Act, and finally got the law passed this week. Democrats oppose the bill.
The bill enables people battling life-threatening illnesses who have exhausted all other treatment options to try experimental drugs without getting approval from the FDA — a long, bureaucratic process that wastes precious time that terminally-ill patients don’t have. The FDA drug approval process can take up to 15 years.
In signing the Right to Try Act, President Trump made good on yet another promise. “As I proudly sign this bill, thousands of terminally ill Americans will have the help, the hope, and the fighting chance that they will be cured, that they will be helped, that they will be able to be with their families for a longer time,” he said.
Trump first discussed the measure during his State of the Union address in January 2018, which earned raves from Republicans, Independents, and even many Dems.
.@POTUS signs #RightToTry and gives first pen to 9-year-old Jordan McLinn from Indianapolis pic.twitter.com/hn3QyY2W28
— Matt Smith (@mattsmith_news) May 30, 2018
During his SOTU address, the president said terminally ill Americans shouldn’t have to go abroad to try a promising experimental treatment simply because it hasn’t yet been approved by the FDA.
“Patients with terminal conditions should have access to experimental treatments that could potentially save their lives,” Trump said. “It is time for the Congress to give these wonderful Americans the ‘right to try.’”
Thanks to the bill’s passage, Jordan McLinn will be able to receive weekly infusions in Chicago, where he has been accepted into a clinical trial, Fox 59 reported.
Young Jordan quickly became a viral sensation on social media, thanks to his adorable gesture of gratitude toward President Trump, who joked: “If I had that face, if I had that head of hair, I would have been president so long ago.”
.@POTUS to Jordan: If I looked like that I would have been president 10 years earlier. If I had that face, if I had that head of hair, I would have been president so long ago. That's great!" pic.twitter.com/xEE29ptnuI
— Matt Smith (@mattsmith_news) May 30, 2018
Josh Gremillion tweeted, “This is PRECIOUS! This is OUR PRESIDENT!”
This is PRECIOUS!
President Trump gives a hug and kiss to Jordan McLinn who suffers from muscular dystrophy before signing the “Right to Try Act.”
This is OUR PRESIDENT! 🇺🇸#RightToTryAct pic.twitter.com/0PP9rY1Hje
— Josh Gremillion (@joshgremillion) May 31, 2018
Another person commented, “My mother suffers from a progressive, degenerative neurological condition. Good on Trump for signing this.”
My mother suffers from a progressive, degenerative neurological condition. Good on Trump for signing this. https://t.co/7iFIpyPE4F
— Physics Geek (@physicsgeek) May 30, 2018
Sandy Bell cooed, “Best video of the day. I love my President 🙂
Best video of the day. I love my President 🙂
— Sandy Bell 🐻 (@SandyBell710) May 30, 2018
President Trump even got props from anti-Trumpers.
I can't stand Trump, but applaud action finally being taken on #RightToTry
This should be between patients and doctors, not the terminally ill and politicians. https://t.co/ebJU0Fnm0P
— Michelle Ray (@GaltsGirl) May 30, 2018
A woman named Tami gushed, “This brought a tear of joy to my eyes.”
This brought a tear of joy to my eyes….. What a wonderful moment, and it shows what a loving/caring man President Trump really is!
— Tammi (@hoosierxheart) May 30, 2018
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