US proposes regulating face, hand transplants like kidneys, other organs; could benefit troops

The Washington Post

The government wants to start regulating face and hand transplants just as it does now with kidneys, hearts and other organs, with waiting lists, a nationwide system to match and distribute body parts and donor testing to prevent deadly infections.

It’s a big step toward expanding access to these radical operations, especially for wounded troops returning home. A dozen U.S. hospitals already do face or hand transplants and more are preparing to offer the operations. More than 1,000 troops have lost an arm or leg in Afghanistan or Iraq, and the government estimates that 200 troops might be eligible for face transplants.

“These body parts are starting to become more mainstream, if you will, than they were five or 10 years ago when they were first pioneered in this country,” said Dr. James Bowman, medical director of the Health Resources Services Administration, the government agency that regulates organ transplants.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/us-proposes-regulating-face-hand-transplants-like-kidneys-other-organs-could-benefit-troops/2012/01/05/gIQAJNaLdP_story.html