A product standard for human embryonic stem cells was published in Beijing Tuesday, with aims to standardize the development of related clinical research and experiments in China.
The standard, the first of its kind in China, was made by several Chinese research organizations including the Chinese Society for Cell Biology, an institute of stem cell and regenerative medicine under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and China National Institute of Standardization.
The standard specifies the basic qualities of human embryonic stem cells, the technical guidelines for quality control, and related requirements for the use and circulation of human embryonic stem cells.
More than 30 clinical research projects in the field of human embryonic stem cells have been carried out and kept on record in China in recent years. However, the stem cells varied a lot due to different sources and preparation methods, according to experts.
There is an urgent need to establish a unified standard to promote better development of clinical research and experiments in the field of human embryonic stem cells, experts have said.
The standard will play an important role in protecting the rights and interests of subjects, standardizing the development of stem cell research and promoting the application of the research, said Zhou Qi, a CAS academician.
"The standard is an indispensable and important cornerstone in China's development of biotechnology," said Sun Yanrong, deputy director of the China National Center for Biotechnology Development.
