How to Improve Patient Access to Experimental Drugs

Expanded access—a means by which physicians and patients can obtain experimental drugs outside of a clinical trial—has been an area of growing interest among rare disease patients. Jess Rabourn, co-founder and managing director of WideTrial, in a new white paper addresses some common misconceptions about expanded access and argues for a new model that aligns charitable, scientific and medical interests for wider patient engagement. We spoke to Rabourn about the evolution of the concept of expanded access, why commercial viability and not the FDA has been the biggest obstacle, and how public-private partnerships can greatly expand their use.