S. Korea maintains ban on embryonic stem cell research

SEOUL, Feb. 5 (Yonhap) -- The government said Thursday that it will maintain its
current ban on the type of embryonic stem cell research conducted by disgraced
cloning expert Hwang Woo-suk, pending more reviews.

The Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said a presidential committee
on bioethics examined a request by Cha Medical Center to lift the ban, but
decided to delay making a verdict until more detailed research plans are
submitted.
"The National Bioethics Committee is expected to take another look at the request
in one or two months," a ministry official said.
The official pointed out that Cha has been asked to provide details on how it
planned to obtain the human ova, reduce the number of ova needed to a bare
minimum and incorporate a clause to deflect any undue expectations about the
research.
The medical center, which operates several hospitals around the country, has also
been asked to hire an outside expert for its Institutional Review Board that
oversees ethical issues.
Independent experts, however, say the move by the committee and the health
ministry to delay making a decision and maintain the current ban may be linked to
Cha's plan to incorporate many of the methods used by Hwang.
At present, only Cha and Suam Biotechnology Institute, which was closely linked
to the former Seoul National University professor, has plans to use embryonic
stem cells extracted from the ova for therapeutic experiments.
Seoul had prohibited similar experiments after Hwang and his team fabricated data
to support their work and denied efforts by Hwang and Suam to gain permission to
restart testing last August.
Hwang, once considered a national hero, has been on trial since 2006 on charges
of fraud and violation of bioethics laws after his team was found in January 2006
to have fabricated laboratory test results to claim success in his study.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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