Jay Alabaster 
iPS cells are the focus of many kinds of medical research.
Japan is in the final stages of approving the first induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS cell) treatment for coverage under its national health care system.
Approval would make the country one of the first worldwide to incorporate iPS procedures into its healthcare coverage.
Still Expensive
The treatment targets a rare but currently incurable eye disease that causes vision loss over time. Researchers place strands of the versatile iPS stem cells behind the retina at the rear of the eye to foster regrowth.
The Kobe City Eye Hospital applied in February 2025 for the procedure to be classified as "advanced medical care" under Japan's national health insurance. A filing by the hospital shows that even with the designation, patients would have to pay about ¥14.75 million JPY, or around $100,000 USD, for the actual procedure, but accompanying medical care would be greatly reduced by insurance.
Ten Years of iPS Clinical Trials
"It has been 10 years since the first iPS clinical trials, and we have now come to the point of mainstream adoption," hospital director Yasuo Kurimoto told reporters, "We want to lead the world in this field of medicine."
The hospital is targeting "retinitis pigmentosa," a disorder of the retina that affects the ability to sense light and see properly. The treatment uses "blank" stem cells to create strings of "retinal pigment epithelial cells" and then transplants them into patients' eyes.
More Approvals Needed
The procedure was recommended for approval by a general committee for new medical advances, and must now clear a technical subcommittee. Future meeting dates for that group have not been made public, according to an official with the Ministry of Health.
The hospital said it has carried out a clinical study of the procedure involving three patients since 2022. The patients have made steady progress, with some showing improved vision.
Japan is among the world leaders in developing treatments and medical procedures that use iPS cells. Domestic research is proceeding across a wide swath of medical applications, from Parkinson's disease to certain types of cancers to damaged knee joints.
Part of Japan's Stem Cell Growth
In June 2024, the Japanese government approved a new economic policy that promotes research and development into the medical use of iPS procedures, as well as industrial production. In August of the same year, a new international hub for healthcare development was established in Osaka ahead of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo.
In June, the Japanese government approved the Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform, known as the "Big-Boned Policy." This policy outlines the promotion of research and development in drug discovery and regenerative medicine using iPS cells, as well as the establishment of industrial bases in these fields.
A Nobel Beginning
Kyoto University professor Shinya Yamanaka was awarded a Nobel Prize in 2012 for his discovery that mature cells could be reprogrammed to form immature stem cells. This laid the foundation for stem cell treatments without the controversial use of cells from embryos.
Yamanaka dubbed the new cells "iPS cells," using the lowercase "i" made popular by Apple products like the iPod. While the technology holds great promise, development is prohibitively expensive, and he is currently heading efforts like the "my iPS Project" to reduce costs.
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(Read a related article in Japanese.)
Author: Jay Alabaster
