WHILE new US guidelines on using human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) will surely trigger an expansion of research, they also risk shutting down some investigations that are already under way.
On 9 March, President Barack Obama announced that he would overturn restrictions introduced by his predecessor, George W. Bush, which limit federal funding to about 20 ESC lines isolated before August 2001.
Draft guidelines from the National Institutes of 91色情片, announced on 17 April, would allow federal funds to be used for research on ESCs isolated from 鈥渟pare鈥� embryos left over from IVF treatments.
Advertisement
To be eligible for such funding, cell lines would also have to meet strict standards for consent from embryo donors. This may be a problem for existing lines, given worries over the adequacy of the original forms used for consent. To prevent existing projects from having their funds cut off, it may be necessary to exempt some older cell lines from the new standards, says Kevin Wilson of the American Society for Cell Biology.
Changes to the guidelines can be suggested over the next month. The final version will be published by 7 July.