New international guidelines on human embryonic stem cell research called for close scrutiny of scientists and clear consent from people donating cells, but did not settle the issue of paying women who donate eggs.
The International Society for Stem Cell Research, the principal scientific group for stem cell scientists, said its 15 pages of rules released on Thursday were meant to establish ground rules for a field stung by a fraud scandal and opposition by some people on moral grounds.
Crafted by researchers, ethicists and legal experts from 14 countries, they are intended to encourage uniform research practices worldwide, but would not be binding.
Advocates call such research the best hope for potential cures for conditions like
Alzheimer's Disease, diabetes, Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injuries. Since such research requires destruction of days-old embryos, opponents call it immoral.Critics condemned the new guidelines, published in the journal Science and on the Internet at http://www.isscr.org/.
The guidelines call for special scrutiny by institutions where research takes place, but do not specify a precise form of such oversight. They also require explicit consent from anyone donating cells for such research.
The society failed to reach consensus on whether paying even a modest amount of money to women who donate their eggs for research should be allowed.
The scientific community is still shaken by the revelation that landmark studies on human embryonic stem cells in 2004 and 2005 led by South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk were faked. [....Snip] Reuters
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