South Korea revise their Bioethics and Safety Act - 25 February 2009
The Bioethics and Safety Act aims to enhance the health of human beings and the quality of human life. It does this by creating conditions that allow for the development of life sciences and biotechnologies that can be used to prevent or cure human diseases. Additionally, the act aims to protect human dignity and to prevent harm to human beings. It ensures that these life sciences and biotechnologies are developed safely and in accordance with the principles of bioethics.
The new act became effective on December 6, 2008
Some of the key changes that are related to embryonic stem cell research include:
- SCNT will be allowed using human eggs that are left over after IVF
- The use of hES cells is now permitted (not derivation of them) for research purposes, but must be approved from IRB (previously, permission from the Ministry of Health and Welfare was required)
- Reproductive cloning and interspecies SCNT are banned.
The Korean Government is relatively permissive on various forms of stem cell research from embryonic stem cells, SCNT, iPS generation and adult stem cells.
Full text of the revised Bioethics and Safety Act is available from: http://www.mbbnet.umn.edu/scmap/KoreanBioethics.pdf
Other News