Stem Cell Processing (Stem Cells in Clinical Applications)

14

1.4 Global Legal Positions

Below is a summary of the regulatory approaches of some countries active in the
fi eld of stem cell research (Table 1.1 ).

Table 1.1 Stem cell research: regulatory approaches

Jurisdiction

Permit creation

of human

embryos for

research,

including

SCNT

Prohibit

creation of

human

embryos,

including

SCNT

Permit

derivation

of hESC

lines from

excess IVF

embryos

Prohibit

derivation

of hESCs

Prohibit

derivation of

hESCs, but

permit

importation of

hESC lines

Australia

(Research

Involving

Embryos Act

2002 )

√ √

Austria

(Reproductive

Medicine Act of 2

June 1998 )

√ √

Belgium

(Research on

Embryos 2003 )

√ √

Brazil (Bio-Safety

Law 2005 )

√ √

Bulgaria

(Convention on

Human Rights

and Biomedicine

1997 )

√

Canada

(Canadian

Institutes of

Health Research

2007 )

√

China (Ethical

guiding principles

on human

embryonic stem

cell research

2003 )

√ √

Costa Rica (Law

7739 of 1998 )

√ √

(continued)

W.M. Botes et al.