International Laws

Africa and Asia

Throughout the continent of Africa, there are at this time very few explicit pieces of legislation regulating embryonic stem cell research. The only nation in Africa to have substantial stem cell research legislation is South Africa.

At present, South African policy allows for the use of unused embryos remaining from in vitro fertilization techniques in research and also for the creation of embryos for research purposes. In general, many African nations are viewed as having friendly policies toward embryonic stem cell research, with little regulation being the norm.

Several Asian nations also have entered the stem cell research arena as influential players. Many Asian nations do not have explicit stem cell research regulations at this time, with some exceptions. Legislation in both China and Singapore establishes specific laws that allow for the use of embryonic stem cells derived from unused embryos created from in vitro fertilization, and also for embryos that are created for the specific purpose of research.

The government of Singapore has made stem cell research, and in particular embryonic stem cell research, a national priority. It has specifically created Biopolis—A new research complex dedicated to advancing biomédical research, through legislation and financial subsidies. To date, Singapore has invested over $3 billion in establishing the biomédical and stem cell research infrastructure in Biopolis.

The efforts of the government of Singapore created a loose regulatory environment, and the nation's subsidy and encouragement of stem cell research have alarmed other governments. There is a perception that Singapore's national policies, [Page 262]focusing on advancing stem cell research, are attracting many scientists from other nations like the United States, thereby increasing Singapore's standing in this research frontier compared with other nations.

European Union and Russia

The European Union (EU) as a whole remains split on the issue of stem cell research. A number of countries within the EU have enacted various levels of restrictions on human embryonic stem cell research, including Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Portugal. In contrast, other EU nations such as Sweden, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United Kingdom allow embryonic stem cell research within their borders.

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