Asian pragmatism

Stem cell research is a rapidly developing field. Nearly every other week another article is published that expands scientists ‘knowledge and explores the cells’ therapeutic potential to treat a variety of disorders, such as Parkinson's disease or diabetes. But since this research involves using cells derived from human embryos, which are destroyed in the process, it has also sparked an intense debate about its ethical and moral implications. Indeed, these have been regarded as so important that various countries have now drafted legal frameworks to balance the potential therapeutic applications against the ethical concerns of using human embryos. While the debate and the legislation process in the USA, the UK and Germany have raised an intense media interest, Japan's pragmatic decision to legalise research using human embryonic stem (ES) cells has been virtually ignored by the international media.> Japan's decision to legalise research using human embryonic stem cells has been virtually ignored by the international mediaLast year, the government of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi approved the use of ES cell lines for basic research. The legal situation not only allows researchers to import and use existing cell lines but also to generate new ones from fertilised human eggs. Soon after this ruling, in September 2001, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) issued 10 pages of guidelines to regulate the use and development of ES cells. These guidelines lay out a two‐tier approval process for applicants, first at the institutional and then at the governmental level. Researchers must explain the prospect and nature of their research proposal, prove their proficiency and experience in using stem cells from other species, name the principal researchers and regularly submit reports on their progress. Furthermore, applicants must identify those in charge of the internal ethical review, who judge the criteria …