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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Rep. Gosar Introduces Bill to Regulate Body-Donor Facilities

From the Arizona Republic:

Read the full article HERE.

“U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar introduced legislation Thursday to regulate the labeling, transporting and licensing of human tissues for medical research and education.

“The Arizona Republican's bill comes as the FBI, Arizona Attorney General's Office and other law-enforcement officials are investigating whether the Biological Resource Center in Phoenix and facilities in other states handled bodies as donors intended, and whether they properly screened for infectious diseases.

“Body donation is a burgeoning industry, profiting by soliciting donated tissues and organs, which are provided for a fee to drug firms, medical-device manufacturers, universities and hospitals to study diseases, develop treatments or perfect surgical techniques. Companies that broker tissue and organs for transplant into living patients are strictly regulated, but those that sell body parts for research and education are not, state law-enforcement officials and experts say.

“Gosar's bill would require non-transplant facilities to put labels on shipments containing body parts that certify the parts have been screened for infectious diseases. The requirement would apply to shipments of body parts across state lines.

“Gosar's legislation, if approved by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama, would not cost any additional money to implement.

“Jeff Small, Gosar's legislative director, told The Arizona Republic that as a dentist, the representative wants to ensure the public's safety is not jeopardized.

“Added Small, "He felt the need to step in and provide some oversight in what appears to be a somewhat unregulated industry.”

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