Castle and Degette Introduce Regenerative Medicine Bill

Press Release

Last night, Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE), co-chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, addressed the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Annual Dinner in Washington, D.C. to discuss his efforts on regenerative medicine and stem cell research in the U.S. Congress. Today, Rep. Castle joined with his co-chair of the Diabetes Caucus, Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), to introduce the Regenerative Medicine Promotion Act of 2010, which aims to establish a multi-agency council to identify and recommend policies to overcome barriers in research and product development. It creates translational research programs to nurture academic-industry collaboration in regenerative medicine; support product development; and foster development of a clear, predictable regulatory pathway to enable speedy approval of safe and effective products.

"Regenerative medicine products are already in use to treat wounds, cartilage defects and diabetic foot ulcers, while products addressing many more conditions are advancing in clinical trials, but these successes are just the tip of the iceberg," said Reps. Castle and DeGette. "From diabetes to spinal cord injuries and ALS to cancer, regenerative medicine has the potential to help solve some of our most troubling medical conditions, and the need for new products for patients has never been greater. By fostering a national strategy for regenerative medicine, this bill will provide new grant opportunities for academic-industry collaboration in this important field, and help ensure the United States is a leader in medical innovation."

Regenerative medicine translates fundamental knowledge in biology, chemistry and physics into materials, devices, systems and therapeutic strategies which augment, repair, replace or regenerate organs and tissues in the body and supports all of the therapeutic approaches by renewing bodily functions otherwise lost to illness.

Specifically, the Regenerative Medicine Promotion Act of 2010 would:

* Require a Report Detailing Ongoing Federal Activities in Regenerative Medicine.
* Establish the Regenerative Medicine Coordinating Council to devise a national strategy for regenerative medicine.
* Create two translational research grant programs at NIH to nurture academic-industry collaboration in regenerative medicine, and authorize funding for private companies for basic research, pre-clinical studies and clinical trials.
* Provide FDA Grants for Regulatory Research.

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