Germany

Legal status
Key organization Central Ethics Committee for Stem-Cell Research (ZES)
Policy 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.
Legislation Embryo Protection Act and Stem Cell Act
Legislation Link http//bundesrechtjuris.de/eschg/BJNR027460990.html and http://bundesrechtjuris.de/stzg/index.html
Embryonic stem cell research policy Based on the German Act for Protection of Embryos from 1990 the destruction of human embryos is not allowed forbidding also the creation or derivation of hESCs. According the German Stem Cell Act from 2002 and its amendment from 2008, 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. hESCs can only be used for research purposes (Forschungsvorbehalt) and not for developing a product for the market, i.e. commercialisation.
Research with embryo Embryo research is forbbiden.
Embryo donation and cryopreservation The Embryonic protection Act prohibits embryo donation for research purposes.
Somatic cell nuclear transfer Cloning and Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) is prohibited.

Projects

Provider

hESC Cell lines

hiPSC Cell lines