The AAMC April 22 submitted comments (PDF) to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in response to a request for information on the necessity of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in biomedical research.
In its letter, the AAMC emphasized the continued importance of NIH funding for research with hESCs, long considered the gold standard for human pluripotency within the scientific community and peer-reviewed literature. The association’s comments also made recommendations to the agency on areas for strengthening stem cell research, including a better understanding of induced pluripotent stem cells.
The AAMC also urged the NIH to continue to allow access to existing lines in the NIH hESC Registry and resume accepting new submissions for cell lines eligible for use in NIH-supported research.