Human embryonic stem cell lines may now be submitted for US federal funding approval

28 September 2009
By Nienke Korsten

The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched a website through which scientists can request their human embryonic stem (ES) cell lines to be approved for federally funded research. Eligible lines will appear on the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry, also accessible online. Dr Francis Collins, Director of the NIH, has appointed a working group to assist him in deciding which lines will be approved.

This is a major step in President Obama's initiative to lift the ban - created by the Bush administration - on the federal funding of human ES cell research, as announced in March. The NIH published guidelines for the eligibility of human ES cell lines in July, forbidding the use of embryos specifically created for research purposes, thus restricting research to surplus embryos from IVF treatments. Full and informed consent from the donor is also required. the rest

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