India's Initiatives in Developing Stem Cell Research Technology Reflect Worldwide Trend – Human Cloning Foundation

The Human Cloning Foundation (HCF) said India's recent government initiatives to further the development of stem cell research are "laudable and reflect a growing worldwide trend that shows broadening government concern and support for stem cell research," said HCF spokesman David Madrigal.

Last week, the India-based Chennai News (http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews) reported that the Indian government has developed strategies aimed at eventually making the benefits of stem cell research available to the common man.

"We have developed both short and long-term strategies for research and development in stem cell (technology). The government, in the next two months, will release Rs2 crore (about US$460,000) towards strengthening stem cell research in the country," India's Union Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal told Chennai News.

Sibal said in the short-term, the government would help strengthen research activities on mononuclear cells as they do not cause immune rejection. He said the government would also involve the business community to make available the benefits of stem cell technology to the common man and ask them to follow the standardized Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP) to ensure that products are acceptable in foreign markets.

David Madrigal, HCF spokesman, said India has joined an elite list of countries that have noted the vast potential of cloning and stem cell research in curing disease and improving quality of life.

Madrigal revealed that a recent study of 30 countries showed that as many as 23 have already enacted national legislation on the creation and use of cloned embryos (Shaun D. Pattinson, Timothy Calufield, BMC Med Ethics, Volume 5). The study also pointed out that "the absence of legislation in the seven countries does not equate into an absence of regulation," said Madrigal.

Contact: David Madrigal
Spokesman, Human Cloning Foundation
humancloning.david@gmail.com
www.humancloning.org