Protecting the delivery of heart failure: Regenerative Medicine/Stem Cell Therapeutics: Potential protections afforded by the Department of Health and Human Services and Health Resources Service Administration's Bureau of Special Programs

Advances in stem cell science and potential clinical applications have brought clinical medicine closer to the actualization of Regenerative Medicine—an extension of transplantation of organs and cells and implantation of bioprosthetics and biodevices. The goal of such therapeutics will be intervention prior to onset of severe individual disability, enhance organ function and enhance patient performance status without incurring the economic impacts of standard organ transplantation. Regenerative Medicine is already demonstrating proof of principle or efficacy in restora-tion of myocardial contractility, joint mobility and function, immune competence, pulmonary function, immunologic self-tolerance, motor function and normal hemoglobin production with the next targets—diabetes mellitus (type I and type II), neurologic injury, hepatic dysfunction preparing to enter trials.