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SB 670 would let doctors prescribe investigational sunscreen products under Texas 'Right to Try' model; committee leaves bill pending
Summary
Senate Bill 670 would allow physicians to prescribe investigational sun‑protection products (sunscreens) that have completed at least one clinical trial but not yet received full FDA approval, using the state's Right to Try framework. Sponsors and supporters argue the change would give dermatologists and patients access to UV filters used abroad;
Senate Bill 670 was presented to the committee as an expansion of Texas’ existing Right to Try framework to permit a physician, after consultation and written informed consent, to prescribe investigational sun‑protection products that have completed at least one clinical trial but lack full FDA approval.
Senator Hughes, who laid out the bill, said the measure is modeled on Texas’ Right to Try statute and is intended to give dermatologists and patients access to sunscreen active ingredients that are approved and used in Europe and Asia but not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The sponsor said each investigational ingredient must have completed at least one clinical trial, and patients must provide written informed consent describing risks and benefits. The bill prohibits medical‑board discipline based solely on prescribing such products and bars causes of action against manufacturers solely for a physician’s recommendation.
Testimony in support was mixed in the public comment record; some witnesses urged a broader state role in setting standards when they said federal processes were inadequate, while others recommended more study. The committee left SB 670 pending for public testimony; no vote was recorded during the layout.
