Expert says seeking approval will help private hospitals, but hurt researchers
A law professor yesterday slammed the Medical Council for issuing a new regulation requiring stem-cell researchers to seek additional approval from a newly set up national regulatory body, saying that the new rule would benefit private hospitals rather than foster research.
"This regulation would benefit private hospitals because I know many private hospitals have invested a lot for stem-cell research," Sawang Boonchalermvipas, a prominent law professor from Thammasart University, said.
According to law, private hospitals are not allowed to conduct research, just provide medical services to patients, he added.
Earlier, all stem-cell studies just needed approval from an ethics and academic committee at medical schools, hospitals and educational institutions. However, under the Medical Council's new regulation, which took effect in November, all stem-cell research also needs to be approved by the council's ethical committee.
In addition, the new regulation also controls the use of stem-cell treatment in diseases related to veins, organ transplants and heart disorders.
Stem-cell technology is already being used in bone-marrow transplants and blood disorders.
Sawang is worried that the new regulation would allow private hospitals to do stem-cell research because they can get easy approval from the Medical Council's panel.
"I wonder if the Medical Council issued this new regulation to support stem-cell research or stem-cell treatment that is already being conducted in many private hospitals," he said. "After all, many members of the Medical Council's board are representatives of private hospitals."
Sawang also wondered if the new regulation would present obstacles for state research agencies because the Medical Council's ethical committee might control proposals put forward by government agencies.
"I am not sure if the Medical Council's new regulation would effectively control illegal stem-cell treatments, because I wonder how it could investigate illegal research and treatment because it usually asks royal colleges to do this job," he said.
The Medical Council's secretary-general, Dr Somsak Lohlekha, said the council had issued this regulation because it wanted to control the standard of stem-cell research and treatment because international research communities had already condemned Thailand for substandard work.
He also insisted that the council's regulation would not present obstacles for state agencies or benefit private hospitals. The council will hold a public forum at the Public Health Ministry on February 12 to explain how its new regulation would control stem-cell research in the Kingdom.
