(CNN) — President Donald Trump signed the “Right to Try Act” Wednesday, a measure aimed at helping terminally ill patients access drug treatments that are yet to be fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Trump, at a White House ceremony surrounded by patients and families who will be affected by the legislation, said his administration “worked hard on this” but said repeatedly he didn’t understand why it hadn’t been done before. The bill will give terminally ill patients the right to seek drug treatments that remain in clinical trials and “have passed Phase 1 of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval process” but have not been fully approved by the FDA. Some opponents of the bill argue that the legislation won’t change much but could have a detrimental effect on how the FDA safeguards public health. Trump said he thinks “hundreds of thousands” could be saved as a result of the legislation. “With the passage of this bill, Americans will be able to seek cures,” Trump said adding they will finally be given “the right to try.” “I would not be here today without the tireless efforts of dedicated members of Congress,” Trump said, specifically pointing out Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Indiana, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pennsylvania, and Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas. “Thanks to you the countless American lives with ultimately be saved,” Trump said.<doc-sep>President Trump Donald TrumpTrump lashes out after grand jury seated for New York criminal probe Schumer tees up vote on Jan. 6 commission bill Senators struggle to save Jan. 6 commission MORE signed a bill Wednesday allowing terminally ill patients access to experimental medical treatments not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dubbed "right to try," the law's passage was a major priority of Trump and Vice President Pence, as well as congressional Republicans. ADVERTISEMENT "Thousands of terminally ill Americans will finally have hope, and the fighting chance, and I think it's going to better than a chance, that they will be cured, they will be helped, and be able to be with their families for a long time, or maybe just for a longer time," Trump said at a bill signing ceremony at the White House, surrounded by terminally ill patients and their families. Trump thanked lawmakers sitting in the audience who sponsored the bill, including Sen. Joe Donnelly Joseph (Joe) Simon DonnellyRepublicans fret over divisive candidates Everybody wants Joe Manchin Centrist Democrats pose major problem for progressives MORE, a vulnerable Democrat up for reelection in Indiana. Despite calling Donnelly a "really incredible swamp person" earlier this month, Trump thanked the senator for his work on the bill. Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.), another vulnerable Democrat up for reelection, was the only other Democratic co-sponsor on the bill, but did not attend the ceremony because he is in West Virginia this week, his office said. Congress is on recess this week for Memorial Day. 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. Opponents also argue it gives “false hope” to patients, since drugmakers aren’t required to give unapproved medicines to patients who ask for them. Supporters say, however, it will provide new treatment opportunities for terminally ill patients who have exhausted existing options. "While a long time coming, today is a monumental win for patients desperately seeking the ‘right to try’ investigational treatments and therapies," said Energy and Commerce Committee Chariman Greg Walden Gregory (Greg) Paul WaldenLobbying world Give Republicans the climate credit they deserve Fox hires former GOP lawmaker Greg Walden as political consultant MORE (R-Ore.) and health subcommittee chairman Michael Burgess Michael Clifton BurgessTexas Republicans condemn state Democrats for response to official calling Scott an 'Oreo' Americans have decided to give professionals a chance Six ways to visualize a divided America MORE (R-Texas). “With ‘right to try’ being the law of the land, we are confident that the Trump Administration, and FDA Commissioner [Scott] Gottlieb, will take both congressional intent and the safety of patients into consideration when implementing this important law.”<doc-sep>President Trump signed a bill on Wednesday that will let terminally ill people use experimental drugs, citing the meds’ ability to save “tremendous numbers of lives.” “As I proudly sign this bill, thousands of terminally ill Americans will finally have the help, the hope, and the fighting chance ​. . . that they will be cured, that they will be helped, that they’ll be able to be with their families for a long time or maybe just for a longer time​,” he said at a White House ceremony. He signed the bill, called Right to Try, ​joined by Vice President Mike Pence, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb and “brave Americans” fighting life-threatening conditions. ​The measure gives terminally ill patients the ability to seek drug treatments that​ haven’t been fully approved by the FDA. More than 1 million Americans die from a terminal illness each year, the White House said. During the ceremony, Trump also said that in two weeks, major drug companies will announce “voluntary drops in prices.” “I think we’re going to have some big — some of the big drug companies in two weeks. And they’re going to announce — because of what we did, they’re going to announce voluntary massive drops in prices,” Trump said.<doc-sep>
President Trump signed the "Right to Try Act" into law Wednesday, allowing terminally ill patients to seek experimental drugs not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). "They've been trying to have it passed for years, I never understood why," Mr. Trump said at the signing ceremony, surrounded by affected patients and their families. "I never understood why they didn't do this." Mr. Trump called on Congress to address the matter earlier this year in his State of the Union address. He specifically thanked Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., and Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., for their help in pushing the legislation through Congress. "There are no options, but now you have hope. You really have hope," the president said. He also called out Obamacare, saying that his administration has mostly dismantled the former president's signature piece of legislation and teasing two "great, inexpensive, but really good health care" plans coming up in the next few weeks. While the law may provide some patients with opportunities to seek additional untried treatments, some patient groups and medical advocates oppose the law out of concern that desperate patients may be targeted. Pharmaceutical companies do not have to provide the medications, and the costs may be prohibitive for many families. Others fear the new law could actually make it more difficult to get new drugs approved by the FDA. The president praised the "extraordinary courage" of the patients before signing the bill into law, taking a moment to hug Jordan McLinn, a young boy diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. McLinn's family had helped push for a similar "right to try" law in Indiana, which then-Governor Mike Pence signed in 2015. "They will be with their families for a long time, or maybe just a longer time," Mr. Trump said.