Bills · HR 8018
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 8018Health
ISLET Act
INTRO MAR 19· LAST ACTION MAR 19
READING
2MIN
COSPONSORS
5
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it could significantly impact how patients with conditions like type 1 diabetes access a potentially curative treatment: islet cell transplantation. If this bill becomes law, regulating islet cells as organs rather than as drugs or biological products could reduce the complex and often lengthy approval processes currently associated with cell therapies. This might lead to more readily available transplants, shorter waiting lists, and potentially lower costs for patients and the healthcare system.
Without this bill, islet cells would continue to be subject to the more stringent and sometimes overlapping regulations for drugs, biologics, or HCT/Ps, which can create barriers to innovation and patient access. By classifying them as organs, the bill aims to align their regulation with established organ transplantation practices, potentially accelerating their availability and use in clinical settings.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Amends the Public Health Service Act to include human cadaveric islets alongside the pancreas in the context of organ transplantation.
This officially places islet cells into the organ regulatory framework, distinct from other cell or drug therapies.
PROVISION 02
Clarifies that human cadaveric islets are not considered 'drugs,' 'biological products,' or 'human cells, tissues, or cellular or tissue-based products (HCT/Ps)'.
This explicitly removes islets from regulatory pathways that are often more complex and time-consuming than organ donation regulations.
PROVISION 03
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to update relevant regulations within one year of the bill's enactment.
This ensures that the federal rules reflect the new classification of islets and guides the practical implementation of the bill.
PROVISION 04
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to Congress on the progress of updating regulations within six months.
This provides oversight and ensures accountability in the timely implementation of the bill's provisions.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 5
R· South Carolina
YRS IN OFFICE
9
BILLS LED
22
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 0 REP 5 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSMAR 19
Introduced in House
MAR 19
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 8018
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedMar 19, 2026
Last actionMar 19, 2026
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED MAR 19, 2026
House BillHR 8018Health
ISLET Act
INTRODUCED MAR 19, 2026· LAST ACTION MAR 19, 2026
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
2 min
COSPONSORS
5
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
