HB 2121 Summary

• Criminalizes the purchase and sale of adult stem cells for investigational treatments for valuable consideration, with exceptions for physician fees, medical expense reimbursement, and donor travel/housing/lost wage reimbursement; violation is a class 1 misdemeanor.

• Establishes patient eligibility for investigational stem cell treatments if they have a severe chronic disease or terminal illness designated by the Department of Health Services and their physician has determined approved treatments are unavailable or unlikely to help.

• Requires investigational stem cell treatments to be administered by certified physicians, overseen by institutional review boards, and provided at hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, or medical schools in Arizona.

• Prohibits the Arizona Medical Board and Board of Osteopathic Examiners from taking action against a physician's license based solely on recommendations for investigational stem cell treatments if care meets the standard of care and article requirements.

• Prohibits state and local government entities from interfering with eligible patients' access to investigational stem cell treatments and requires institutional review boards to keep records and submit annual reports to medical boards.