Regulators at the FDA have flagged a flexible but precautionary approach to CAR‑T therapies for autoimmune diseases, urging developers to design long‑term monitoring comparable to requirements for genetic therapies and oncology CAR‑T programs. The agency’s communication emphasizes safety concerns—oncogenic risk, fertility effects—and recommends prolonged follow‑up in clinical programs. An accompanying op‑ed from FDA authors and STAT reporting underscores the agency’s intent to ‘carefully shepherd’ autoimmune CAR‑T development with tailored preclinical and post‑market commitments. Sponsors should prepare for extended safety surveillance and registries akin to the 15‑year follow‑up standards used in some gene therapies. CAR‑T for autoimmune indications repurposes engineered T cells to modulate pathogenic immune responses; while potentially disease‑modifying, these approaches raise distinct on‑target off‑tissue risks. Expect protocol adaptations, extended informed consent language, and dedicated long‑term safety infrastructure in upcoming autoimmune CAR‑T trials. Key actors: FDA CBER, journal op‑eds, STAT coverage, developers pursuing autoimmune CAR‑T programs.