Tennessee House Bill HB0413

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/28/25
• Refer: 2/5/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 53; Title 63 and Title 68, relative to stem cell treatment.

Impact

The legislation seeks to empower patients who are facing severe health challenges by granting them access to potentially life-saving stem cell therapies that are still in the experimental phase. It also provides legal protections for physicians who recommend these treatments, preventing their licenses from being revoked or suspended based solely on their treatment suggestions. This is particularly significant in a medical landscape where the development and approval process of new treatments can often be lengthy and unpredictable.

Summary

House Bill 0413 aims to amend the Tennessee Code to establish regulations regarding investigational stem cell treatments. The bill defines key terms related to stem cell treatment and outlines the conditions under which patients can access these treatments. Specifically, it targets individuals suffering from severe chronic diseases or terminal illnesses, allowing eligible patients to receive stem cell treatments that are currently under investigation and not yet approved by the FDA. The bill requires that such treatments be administered only upon a physician's recommendation, ensuring that all other viable treatment options have been considered first.

Contention

Notably, the bill includes provisions that prohibit governmental entities from interfering with a patient's access to investigational treatments, which raises questions about the balance between patient autonomy and regulatory oversight. Critics may argue about the lack of comprehensive guidelines governing the use of such experimental treatments, potentially leading to ethical concerns regarding patient safety and informed consent. Furthermore, the necessity of establishing detailed rules to define qualifying medical conditions for treatment highlights areas of potential debate among lawmakers and medical professionals.