NIH Embryonic Cell Guidelines Would Allow Use of Cells Only From Fertility Treatments

The National Institutes of Health April 17 released draft guidelines that would limit government-funded research using human embryonic stem cells to those left over from fertility treatments.

According to the guidelines, allowable human embryonic stem cells must be derived from human embryos created by in vitro fertilization (IVF) for reproductive purposes but that are no longer needed. The derivation may not be federally funded, but private funds may be used.

The guidelines do not allow for the use of embryonic stem cells derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), a form of cloning, or parthenogenesis, which uses an unfertilized egg cell. They also prohibit using IVF embryos created specifically for research.

In addition, the guidelines include the conditions and informed consent procedures required of those who donate embryos no longer needed for fertility treatment.

For example, researchers must provide documentation that donors were informed of all options for the embryos no longer needed and were not offered inducements for the donations, and that there was a clear separation between a donor's decision to create human embryos for reproductive purposes and...