Exploring the State of the Science in the Field of Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative medicine holds the potential to create living, functional cells and tissues that can be used to repair or replace those that have suffered potentially irreparable damage due to disease, age, traumatic injury, or genetic and congenital defects. The field of regenerative medicine is broad and includes research and development components of gene and cell therapies, tissue engineering, and non-biologic constructs. Although regenerative medicine has the potential to improve health and deliver economic benefits, this relatively new field faces challenges to developing policies and procedures to support the development of novel therapies are both safe and effective. In October 2016, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hosted a public workshop with the goal of developing a broad understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with regenerative medicine cellular therapies and related technologies. Participants explored the state of the science of cell-based regenerative therapies within the larger context of patient care and policy. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.