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Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has called for the utilization of therapeutic cloning for healing and the regeneration of damaged body parts and for the treatment for complicated medical conditions.
"Although India remains totally opposed to reproductive cloning owing to the doubtful nature of its safety, success utility and ethical acceptability, therapeutic cloning can be considered on case-to-case basis," Azad said during an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) function.
He also added that ICMR should "play an active role in realizing the potential of stem cell research and its technology in modern therapeutic and regenerative medicine".
"A draft of guidelines for stem cell research/regulation on regulatory aspects of stem cell research and its applications prepared by ICMR will be very useful in this regard," Azad added.
V.M. Katoch, secretary for health research, said: "Therapeutic cloning is somewhat similar to stem cell research. This technique is useful to heal completely damaged body parts."
The health ministry is planning to implement a regulation to keep in track of the deviation in therapeutic cloning and stem cell research. "There should not be any (mis-) adventure. Everything should be for treatment’, he said.
He added that the first phase of the trial for developing rota virus and HIV vaccines have been completed by India.
"The two vaccines have completed phase I trials in India and there is promise of having a vaccine against this dreaded disease," the minister added.
