The "Right to Treat Act" seeks to clarify that agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) , National Institutes of Health (NIH) , and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , lack the authority to regulate the practice of medicine. This legislation also prohibits federal laws or regulations from restricting the prescription or disbursement of an FDA-approved drug for an unapproved use , or a drug available under emergency use provisions. The intent is to grant medical professionals more autonomy in treatment decisions, particularly regarding off-label prescriptions. However, the bill explicitly states that it does not affect any existing federal laws or policies that restrict specific medical interventions. These include abortion , assisted suicide , euthanasia , coercive family planning , female genital mutilation , or gender transition medical interventions .
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Hearings held.
Health
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Department of Health and Human ServicesFood and Drug Administration (FDA)Health care coverage and accessNational Institutes of Health (NIH)Prescription drugs
Right to Treat Act
USA119th CongressS-1830| Senate
| Updated: 3/19/2026
The "Right to Treat Act" seeks to clarify that agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) , National Institutes of Health (NIH) , and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , lack the authority to regulate the practice of medicine. This legislation also prohibits federal laws or regulations from restricting the prescription or disbursement of an FDA-approved drug for an unapproved use , or a drug available under emergency use provisions. The intent is to grant medical professionals more autonomy in treatment decisions, particularly regarding off-label prescriptions. However, the bill explicitly states that it does not affect any existing federal laws or policies that restrict specific medical interventions. These include abortion , assisted suicide , euthanasia , coercive family planning , female genital mutilation , or gender transition medical interventions .
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Department of Health and Human ServicesFood and Drug Administration (FDA)Health care coverage and accessNational Institutes of Health (NIH)Prescription drugs