Too Much of a Rush for Clinical Trials With iPS Cells

The world’s first clinical application of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technologies for regenerative medicine for humans has just got the go-ahead in Japan.

People suffering from intractable diseases that cannot be effectively treated with conventional medicine are pinning their hopes on the development of new treatment methods of regenerative medicine.

What we find worrisome is the somewhat over-eager attitude of the Abe administration, which wants to make iPS technology one of the pillars of its economic growth strategy. But the safety of the technology, much less its effectiveness, has yet to be confirmed.

The government must not push researchers for results. Nor should it lose interest if they suffer minor setbacks. For that matter, it must not give undue favor and spoil a “big-name rookie.” If the government engages in such behavior, it would likely do no good and much harm.

iPS cell technology was developed by Shinya Yamanaka, a Kyoto University professor who won a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his research. iPS cells are engineered by introducing specific genes into cells derived from the skin...