Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplantation Act of 2003

H.R. 1068, the Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplantation Act of 2003, aims to expand access to a specialized treatment for Type 1 diabetes by changing how donated organs are tracked and researched. The bill would allow organ procurement organizations to receive credit for pancreases used in islet cell transplants—a procedure where insulin-producing cells are transferred from a donor to a patient—rather than only counting organs used for whole-organ transplants.

For citizens, this legislation seeks to improve the availability of this treatment by establishing a federal interagency committee to coordinate research and launching a Medicare demonstration project to cover the procedure for patients with both Type 1 diabetes and end-stage renal disease. By requiring a formal study on the cost-effectiveness and health impacts of these transplants, the bill intends to provide a clearer path for islet cell transplantation to become a standard, federally supported treatment option for those living with severe diabetes.