Ginal’s Bipartisan Bill to Improve Medical Care Clears Senate

SB23-041 formally authorizes medical professionals to prescribe drugs approved by the FDA for off-label use

DENVER, CO – Senator Joann Ginal’s, D-Fort Collins, bipartisan bill to improve medical care for Coloradans cleared the Senate today.

Cosponsored by Senator Jim Smallwood, R-Parker, SB23-041 would formally authorize medical professionals to prescribe drugs approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for off-label use. Off-label use refers to the practice of prescribing a drug for a different purpose than what the FDA initially approved.

“Off-label prescribing of medicines is a common health care practice. It allows for patients to receive personalized medical treatment that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to access,” Ginal said. “Every Coloradan deserves the best when it comes to health care, and this legislation will protect providers and pharmacists so they can provide the best possible treatment for their patients.”

The off-label prescribing of drugs is commonly used in cancer treatments, where the usual care for a specific type or stage of cancer includes the off-label use of one or more drugs. For example, research shows that many cancer drugs, such as chemotherapy, are effective against multiple types of cancer in addition to the one it was approved for.

SB23-041 will now move to the House of Representatives. You can follow the bill’s progress here.