New Stem-cell Regulation Draws Flak

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STEM CELLS

New stem-cell regulation draws flak

By Sirinart Sirisunthon,

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Expert says seeking approval will help private hospitals, but hurt researchers

A law professor yesterday slammed the Medical Council for issuing a new regulation requiring stem-cell researchers to seek additional approval from a newly set up national regulatory body, saying that the new rule would benefit private hospitals rather than foster research.

"This regulation would benefit private hospitals because I know many private hospitals have invested a lot for stem-cell research," Sawang Boonchalermvipas, a prominent law professor from Thammasart University, said.

According to law, private hospitals are not allowed to conduct research, just provide medical services to patients, he added.

Earlier, all stem-cell studies just needed approval from an ethics and academic committee at medical schools, hospitals and educational institutions. However, under the Medical Council's new regulation, which took effect in November, all stem-cell research also needs to be approved by the council's ethical committee.

In addition, the new regulation also controls the use of stem-cell treatment in diseases related to veins, organ transplants and heart disorders.

Stem-cell technology is already being used in bone-marrow transplants and blood disorders.

Sawang is worried that the new regulation would allow private hospitals to do stem-cell research because they can get easy approval from the Medical Council's panel.

"I wonder if the Medical Council issued this new regulation to support stem-cell research or stem-cell treatment that is already being conducted in many private hospitals," he said. "After all, many members of the Medical Council's board are representatives of private hospitals."

Sawang also wondered if the new regulation would present obstacles for state research agencies because the Medical Council's ethical committee might control proposals put forward by government agencies.

"I am not sure if the Medical Council's new regulation would effectively control illegal stem-cell treatments, because I wonder how it could investigate illegal research and treatment because it usually asks royal colleges to do this job," he said.

The Medical Council's secretary-general, Dr Somsak Lohlekha, said the council had issued this regulation because it wanted to control the standard of stem-cell research and treatment because international research communities had already condemned Thailand for substandard work.

He also insisted that the council's regulation would not present obstacles for state agencies or benefit private hospitals. The council will hold a public forum at the Public Health Ministry on February 12 to explain how its new regulation would control stem-cell research in the Kingdom.

-- The Nation 2010-02-05

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[geriatrickid]

No biggie. It's not as if Thailand has much of an R&D capacity that can make use of stem cells for research. Leave it for the Chinese. They have a fantastic knack for harvesting organs, stem cells and other bits and pieces that are fun to play with. The perception of some people in the health research field is that the Chinese have it easy with an ability to dispense with concepts like ethic reviews if its conducted in one of the PLA facilities. My understanding in China is that if you have the connections and dosh, there's loads of good stuff to plunder from the executed "criminals". Who says there are no advantages to having a police state and the Chinese approach to quashing dissent?

[quiksilva]

They don't have much capacity, bu its not bad. The R&D facility Thailand Science Park, near Thammasat, is used by many leading MNC's.

The specifications are high, the rents are subsidised by the government, but its too far out of town and if anything too small. The first phase is fully occupied and has 140,000 square meters, about the size of Empire Towers.

In fact its been so popular that they are now in the process of completing Phase 2, adding another 127,000 square meters and already have pre-commitments for much of the space.

http://www.sciencepark.or.th/