Regulatory Guidelines in Regenerative Medicine

The Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) is the Center within FDA that regulates biological products for human use under applicable federal laws, including the Public Health Service Act and the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. CBER protects and advances the public health by ensuring that biological products are safe and effective and available to those who need them. CBER also provides the public with information to promote the safe and appropriate use of biological products.

Biological products are approved for marketing under provisions of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act). However, because most biological products also meet the definition of "drugs" under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), they are also subject to regulation under FD&C Act provisions.

Licensing of biologic products under the PHS Act is very similar to the new drug approval process for human drugs. Following initial laboratory and animal testing, a biological product is studied in clinical trials in humans under an investigational new drug application (IND). If the data generated by the studies demonstrate that the product is safe and effective for its intended use, the data are submitted to CBER as part of a biologics license application for review and approval for marketing.

The Tissue Reference Group (TRG) was created as specified in the "Proposed Approach to the Regulation of Cellular and Tissue-based Products" published by FDA in February of 1997. The purpose of the TRG is to provide a single reference point for product specific questions received by FDA (either through the Centers, or from the Office of Combination Products) concerning jurisdiction and applicable regulation of human cells, tissues and cellular and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps).

HCT/Ps are defined in 21 CFR 1271.3(d) as articles containing or consisting of human cells or tissues that are intended for implantation, transplantation, infusion, or transfer into a human recipient.[1]  FDA has implemented a risk-based approach to the regulation of HCT/Ps.  Under the authority of section 361 of the PHS Act, FDA established regulations for all HCT/Ps to prevent the introduction, transmission, and spread of communicable diseases.  These regulations can be found in 21 CFR Part 1271.

Information on FDA News and Draft guidances pertinent to Regenerative Medicine.