"We have seen some tremendous breakthroughs in diabetes research in recent years, and I am convinced that diabetes is a disease that can be cured," Senator Collins said. "Islet cell transplantation offers real hope for people with diabetes. My legislation takes steps to moving this research forward as rapidly as possible. I am hopeful that this legislation will be brought before the full Senate soon and I urge my colleagues to lend it their full support."
A major breakthrough in diabetes research involving the transplantation of insulin-producing pancreatic islet cells has been developed at the University of Alberta. This experimental treatment, labeled the "Edmonton Protocol" has been performed on nearly 300 individuals to date, and the majority of them no longer need to take insulin to stay alive. While this experimental treatment has been successful, questions remain regarding whether the procedure is appropriate for everyone who suffers from juvenile diabetes.
This bill includes two provisions are intended to increase the supply of pancreases for islet cell transplantation and to improve the coordination of federal efforts and information regarding islet cell transplantation. There are currently about 2,000 pancreases donated annually, and, of these only about 500 are available each year for islet cell transplants. Moreover, most patients require islet cells from two pancreases for the procedure to work effectively. To increase the supply of available pancreases, this legislation will direct the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide organ procurement organizations (OPOs) credit – for the purposes of their certification – for pancreases used for islet cell transplantation and research. This would give the OPOs an incentive to step up their efforts to increase the supply of pancreases donated for this purpose.
In order to provide a more focused effort in the area of islet cell transplantation, this legislation requires the Diabetes Mellitus Interagency Coordinating Committee at the National Institutes of Health to include in its annual report an assessment of the federal activities and programs related to islet cell transplantation and to make recommendations for legislative or administrative actions that might increase the supply of pancreases available for islet cell transplantation.
This legislation will now be sent to the full Senate for approval.
Senator Collins introduced a similar bill last spring, the "Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplantation Act of 2003." Although the full bill did not pass last year, a key component in the effort to expand islet cell transplantation was included in the Medicare bill which was signed into law last year. This provision authorizes a Medicare demonstration project to test the efficacy of pancreatic islet cell transplants for individuals with juvenile diabetes who are eligible for Medicare because they have end-stage renal disease.
Senator Collins is the founder and co-chair of the Senate Diabetes Caucus.
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