The Central government has taken the first significant step in regulating stem cell research in the country by constituting a National Apex Committee for Stem Cell Research and Therapy last month after years of debate on the subject. The Apex Committee headed by Dr Mammen Chandy of Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore is expected to closely review and monitor activities of this highly promising research activity in the country. NAC will be a multidisciplinary body with a secretariat having the sole responsibility to examine the scientific, technical, ethical, legal and social issues in the area of stem cell based research and therapy. All institutions involved in any type of stem cell research and therapy will have to be registered with the NAC through Institutional Committee for Stem Cell Research and Therapy (IC-SCRT). NAC will set standards for procedures for collection, processing, differentiation, preservation and storage of human tissues to their assure quality and sterility. The constitution of NAC at this juncture is an extremely important initiative as stem cell research is already coming up with rapid scientific developments and throwing up complicated ethical, social and legal issues.

Most countries do not have any scientific body and legal framework at present to regulate the use of this technology. Drug regulatory authorities across the world are still deliberating the need for laying down a set of rules for this emerging branch of medical research considering the possible misuse by unscrupulous practitioners. In India, some private research institutes and medical practitioners have been claiming magical cures for fatal diseases by using stem cell therapy. Some time in 2007, Pharmabiz had reported that a number of small hospitals and one-man clinics in Karnataka were found to be engaged in drawing stem cells from peripheral blood of patients and using them for treating certain diseases. As per the clinically approved practice, stem cells should not be drawn from peripheral blood. Doctors in these establishments have been reportedly giving false hopes of a dramatic cure from stem cells and charging exorbitant fee. It is important that such rackets in the name of stem cell therapy should be curbed forthwith in the public interest. It is in view of such possibilities, the Union health ministry had decided to set up a high level committee to frame a policy for genomic research including stem cell technology seven years ago. A draft guideline for stem cell research was then prepared by Indian Council of Medical Research and it is already with the government. As per the draft, the health ministry was to set up a national regulatory system to monitor and approve stem cell research programme in the country. Now, with the constitution of NAC with a good number of experts, there should not be no delay in notifying a policy for the stem cell research and therapy. A clear cut policy can only give the right direction to the growth of any emerging sector.