Supporting and Defending Advances in Stem Cell Science
The past weeks have been marked by two important actions that together reflect the mission of the ISSCR: to advance stem cell science responsibly and to defend the integrity of biomedical research.
In September, the ISSCR issued a statement expressing deep concern about reports that the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) would not renew research grants involving human fetal tissue (HFT). We emphasized that research with HFT has been indispensable for decades—contributing to vaccines against polio, rubella, measles, chickenpox, shingles, rabies, and COVID-19—and continues to provide unique insights into human development, infertility, and disease. This work has long been conducted under rigorous ethical and legal safeguards, including robust informed consent and strict prohibitions on profit. We urged NIH to resist political pressures and uphold its responsibility to support evidence-based biomedical science.
On 9 October, we proudly released Best Practices for the Development of Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cellular Therapies. This landmark resource provides a comprehensive, interactive roadmap—from cell line selection and raw materials to regulatory pathways, preclinical studies, and clinical trials—designed to accelerate the safe and responsible translation of pluripotent stem cell–derived therapies. Developed by an international task force of experts, the guidance distills global experience into actionable recommendations that can reduce costs, shorten timelines, and improve reproducibility. Updated annually, it will serve as a critical tool for academic researchers, biotech innovators, clinicians, and regulators around the world.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate how the ISSCR continues to provide leadership—by both safeguarding the research enterprise and equipping the community with resources to bring promising therapies closer to patients. I invite all members to engage with these efforts and to share their expertise, energy, and passion as we move forward.
Hideyuki Okano