Cell line and legal information per country

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  1. United Arab Emirates

    Cell lines1

    hESC0:

    Not available.

    hiPSC1:
  2. Armenia

    Cell lines4

    hESC0:

    Not available.

  3. Argentina

    Cell lines7

    hESC0:

    Not available.

  4. Austria

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    There is no legislation on stem cell research. Generation of hESC is prohibited and De facto, import or research with hESC is prohibited. The use of human embryos and gametes for research is banned. Procurement of hESCs and therapeutic and reproductive cloning are prohibited. Details

    Cell lines61

  5. Australia

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    Research use of human pluripotent stem cell lines must comply with requirements for human biospecimens under the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research [https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/national-statement-ethical-conduct-human-research-2007-updated-2018]. Specifically, derivation of any pluripotent stem cell line requires ethics review and approval by a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC). This process involves considerations around consent, collection, storage and distribution of cell lines. For the derivation of human embryonic stem cell lines, researchers must also obtain a licence from the NHMRC Embryo Research Licensing Committee (ERLC) where consideration is given to the number of assisted reproductive technology (ART) embryos, other embryos or human eggs to be used; and the likelihood of significant advances in knowledge which could not be achieved by other means. Reproductive cloning is prohibited under Australian law, but human embryos created by SCNT can be used for research including stem cell derivation provided a licence is granted by ERLC. Subsequent use of derived pluripotent stem cell lines does not require an ERLC licence but may require review and approval by HREC under certain circumstances. Details

    Cell lines304

  6. Belgium

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    Research on hESC in Belgium is allowed and it is regulated by the law for research on in vitro embryos and the law on Medically Assisted Reproduction and the Destination of Supernumerary Embryos and Gametes (2003 and 2007). For hESC derivation, embryos from surplus IVF embryos or, under certain conditions, created for research can be used. Reproductive cloning is prohibited. Commercial use of hESC is forbidden. Details

    Cell lines95

  7. Bulgaria

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research is not directly regulated but falls within the Health Act (2004), whereby surplus IVF embryos can be used for research purposes, subject to the informed consent of the donor(s). Reproductive cloning of humans is prohibited. Details

  8. Brazil

    Cell lines81

  9. Canada

    Cell lines63

  10. Switzerland

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research is allowed with IVF embryos up to 7 days post-fertilisation, under strict conditions and with informed consent, or with cells imported specifically for research purposes. Cloning is prohibited. The creation of embryos for research is prohibited. Details

    Cell lines84

  11. China

    Cell lines1045

  12. Cyprus

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research using IVF embryos is allowed if adequate protection of the embryo is ensured. No legal regulation on hES. Cloning is prohibited by the additional protocol to the convention for the protection of human rights and dignity of human being with regard to the application of biology and medicine, on the prohibition of cloning of human beings (2002). Details

  13. Czech Republic

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research is allowed from hESC lines obtained from redundant IVF embryos under informed consent aproval and providing that the embryo is not older than 7 days; or from imported hESC lines. Research with hESC is regulated by law number 227/2006 on research on hESC and related activities. Reproductive cloning is prohibited. Details

    Cell lines48

  14. Germany

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    After December 2001, hESCs cannot be created or derived. Cloning is prohibited. hESC research is allowed only if imported cell lines produced before May 1, 2007 are used and only if proven vital for the development of new medical and scientific knowledge. Details

    Cell lines1850

  15. Denmark

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research is allowed but only if the surplus IVF embryo is used within 14 days of fertilisation and under donor(s) informed consent. hESC research is regulated by law number 460. Reproductive cloning is prohibited. Details

    Cell lines249

  16. Estonia

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    The 2003 Act deals with IVF embryos and their use in research, but there is no specific reference to hESC research. Reproductive cloning (by SCNT), is explicitly prohibited. There are no specific laws regulating biobanks. Details

  17. Spain

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research is allowed but with restrictions. Human cloning by SCNT is allowed for therapeutic and research purposes only. The creation of embryos exclusively for research and reproductive cloning is prohibited. Details

    Cell lines279

  18. Finland

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research is allowed with IVF embryos up to 14 days after fertilisation. Cloning is prohibited. SCNT is allowed by default, since under this legislation “embryo” is defined as a living group of cells resulting from fertilisation. Details

    Cell lines59

  19. France

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research using IVF embryos of up to 14 days is allowed, providing that the medical rationale is well founded and informed consent is obtained. hESC imports are authorised. Cloning is prohibited. Details

    Cell lines276

  20. United Kingdom

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research is allowed, subject to a licence from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). Licensed research can only take place on IVF embryos up to 14 days after creation or the appearance of the primitive streak, whichever is the earlier. Research needs to prove necessary and aligned with the purposes of the laws, which include increasing knowledge about serious medical conditions, developing treatments for serious medical conditions, advancing the treatment of infertility, increasing knowledge about the causes of miscarriage, developing more effective contraception techniques, developing methods for detecting genetic or mitochondrial abnormalities in pre-implantation embryos, and increasing knowledge of embryonic development. Reproductive cloning is prohibited. specifically for research purposes, embryos created by SCNT, “admixed embryos” including hybrids (created from human and animal gametes), “cytoplasmic hybrids” (created by SCNT using human nuclei and animal oocytes), transgenic human embryos (created by introducing animal DNA into a human cell), chimeric human embryos (created by introducing one or more animal cells into a human embryo), or any other embryos that contain both human and animal DNA, but in which animal DNA is not predominant. Details

    Cell lines1785

  21. Greece

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research using IVF embryos or aborted foetuses is allowed. Reproductive cloning is prohibited. The creation of human embryos for research only is prohibited. Details

  22. Hong Kong

    Cell lines1

    hESC0:

    Not available.

    hiPSC1:
  23. Croatia

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research is prohibited, regulated by the Law on medically assisted reproduction (2009). Human reproductive cloning are prohibited. Details

  24. Hungary

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research using IVF embryos of up to 14 days is allowed. Embryos cannot be created for research purposes. Reproductive cloning is prohibited. Therapeutic cloning is prohibited but sex selection of the human embryo is allowed to avoid an inheritable disease. Details

    Cell lines14

  25. Indonesia

    Cell lines2

    hESC0:

    Not available.

  26. Ireland

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    No legislation on stem cell research. Details

    Cell lines152

    hESC0:

    Not available.

  27. Israel

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    Israeli laws and policies ban human reproductive cloning but do not address other types of hPSC research. The guidelines address embryo sources and the 14-day rule. Details

    Cell lines74

  28. India

    Cell lines125

  29. Iran

    Cell lines27

  30. Iceland

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    Research on IVF embryos is permitted if it is part of IVF treatment or if it is aimed at diagnosing hereditary diseases of embryos, advancing treatment for infertility or enhancing understanding of causes of congenital diseases and miscarriages. The informed consent of gamete donors is required. Human embryos can only be stored for up to 10 years and for implantation purposes only. It is forbidden to produce embryos for research purposes only, to cultivate embryos beyond 14 days outside the body, or to perform cloning. Creation of stem cell lines (even through SCNT) is allowed if well justified. Details

  31. Italy

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research is prohibited unless it is specifically aimed at improving the therapeutic and medical condition of the embryo concerned. Derivation of embryonic stem cell lines is prohibited. Embryonic cell import is allowed for research. Details

    Cell lines220

  32. Jordan

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    Research on hESC in Jordan is allowed and it is regulated by the law for research on in vitro (2014). For hESC derivation, embryos from surplus IVF embryos or, under certain conditions, created for research can be used. Reproductive cloning is prohibited. hESC research is allowed with IVF embryos up to 14 days post-fertilisation, under strict conditions and with informed consent.SCNT is allowed for research purposes. Cloning of humans is prohibited. Details

    Cell lines154

    hESC0:

    Not available.

  33. Japan

    Cell lines180

  34. South Korea

    Cell lines199

  35. Lithuania

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research is restricted to clinical observations (non-interventional trials). Other uses and the import and export of tissues of a human embryo, stem cells of a human embryo and lines thereof are prohibited. Details

  36. Luxembourg

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    No legislation on stem cell research. Details

    Cell lines19

    hESC0:

    Not available.

  37. Latvia

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    Latvia has no specific regulations on hESC, but allow some research on supernumerary IVF embryos. Creation of human embryos por research purposes is prohibited. Details

  38. Malta

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    Currently there is no Embryonic Stem Cell or other embryonic regulation at all in Malta. Details

  39. Mexico

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    No law or regulation mentions specifically human embryonic nor hiPSC, and therefore, no specific restrictions are in place for the derivation of human pluripotent cells from low-quality embryos discarded from fertility clinics. The import of all human cells to the country requires a specific permit from the Health Secretary. Details

    Cell lines6

  40. Malaysia

    Cell lines6

    hESC0:

    Not available.

  41. Netherlands

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research using IVF embryos or embryos created for research is authorised if legally approved and only if the embryo is used within 14 days of fertilisation. Research is prohibited if its purpose is the birth of genetically identical individuals, germ line genetic modification, the combination of human and animal gametes aiming at the creation of multicellular hybrids, the creation and/or implantation of chimera, the implantation of human embryos into an animal and the implantation of animal embryos into a human. Embryo sex selection is prohibited unless there is risk of serious sex-linked hereditary disease. No distinction is made between research and treatment in the field of (stem) cell therapy. Details

    Cell lines626

  42. Norway

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research using IVF embryos or aborted foetuses is allowed. Cloning is prohibited. Details

    Cell lines6

    hESC0:

    Not available.

  43. Poland

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    Regulations concerning embryonic stem cells and research with embryos are incomplete and are based mainly on the Act on infertility treatment. Reproductive cloning is prohibited. Details

    Cell lines53

    hESC0:

    Not available.

  44. Portugal

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research is only allowed with IVF embryos. The creation of embryos for research is prohibited. Details

    Cell lines28

    hESC0:

    Not available.

  45. Qatar

    Cell lines39

    hESC0:

    Not available.

  46. Romania

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    Stem cell research is allowed under official approvals, but there is no regulation on IVF, research on embryos, or embryonic stem cells. There is no specific law on human genetics. Cloning is prohibited. Details

  47. Serbia

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    Research with human embryos is allowed with spare embryos. Creation of human embryos for research purposes is prohibited. Details

  48. Russia

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    Legislation in Russia allows the use of embryonic stem cells derived from IVF embryos and from embryos created for research. Details

    Cell lines168

  49. Saudi Arabia

    Cell lines91

  50. Sweden

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research is allowed if IVF embryos of up to 14 days post-fertilisation are used or after SCNT. Therapeutic cloning is allowed if hereditary genetic traits remain unchanged. Reproductive cloning is banned. Details

    Cell lines206

  51. Singapore

    Cell lines37

  52. Slovenia

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research is allowed if IVF embryos up to 14 days post-fertilisation are used and if informed consent and official approval are obtained. The creation of embryos for research and cloning is prohibited. Details

    Cell lines3

    hESC0:

    Not available.

  53. Slovakia

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research is prohibited if it is not for the benefit of a specific embryo. Cloning is prohibited. Details

    Cell lines3

    hESC0:

    Not available.

  54. Thailand

    Cell lines97

  55. Turkey

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    hESC research is not specifically prohibited. Details

    Cell lines23

  56. Taiwan

    Cell lines68

  57. United States

    Legislation & Regulation

    Summary:

    At the federal level, there are only a few laws that regulate research with pluripotent human stem cells - this mostly takes place at the state level, where the requirements can vary over time and primarily concern and limit the use of embryos. So overall, there is little federal legislation in the US regarding hPSC derivation, research and use. Control is generally exercised in the form of limiting federal funding for some specific research in these areas, but no legislation prohibiting it using private funding. The NIH has guidelines for the use of human pluripotent stem cells, but these don’t govern the legality of the work, only the ability of the researcher to receive federal finding. https://stemcells.nih.gov/research-policy/guidelines-for-human-stem-cell-research Details

    Cell lines3006

  58. Vietnam

    Cell lines4

    hESC0:

    Not available.