oa Professional guidelines and approaches to the ethical oversight of stem cell research

The extraordinary excitement over the scientific, medical, and financial possibilities of stem cell research has been accompanied by ethical concerns. As a consequence, professional groups have developed approaches to addressing these concerns across the continuum of stem cell research, from bench to bedside and to publication. Prominent approaches that have received considerable traction include those developed by the National Academy of Sciences, the International Society for Stem Cell Research, and the Hinxton Group. Understanding and implementing such approaches promises to mitigate some of the ethical issues related to stem cell research.