China the “Land of Opportunity” for Stem Cell Research
Friday, June 02, 2006 - Stem Cell Guru
Today, an article has been published making a strong case for China to emerge as the first country to conduct large scale human stem cell trials thus presenting a significant opportunity for Western companies who are brave enough to use this risky destination as a place to pursue this potentially lucrative sector of the biotech industry.
While stem cell research continues to be one of the most hotly debated topics in the Western world, relaxed government laws continue to attract both Western scientists and companies to China as a place where they can comfortably conduct this controversial research, or have it carried out for them, according to a new report by market research firm Kline & Company.
However, China may offer low barriers to stem cell research, but not without risks, and there are several considerations Western companies must be aware of when entering into research deals in China.
For example, enforcement of IP protection laws is still weak compared to that of Western countries and to complicate matters even further, actual IP ownership is often unclear, as many of the Chinese biotech companies are partially supported by government-owned universities and research centres.
Another issue that should make Western companies nervous about investing in stem cell research in China is the recent scandal involving once-revered South Korean scientist, Hwang Woo Suk. Although no such large-scale cases of academic scandal have yet emerged from China, this case still has significant implications for the country's scientific credibility. This is because a weak review and evaluation system for research results, which was a major factor in Hwang's fraudulent act going unchecked for so long, is also citied by many researchers as being a problem in China.
The full article can be found on the 'In-pharmatechnologist.com' website
While stem cell research continues to be one of the most hotly debated topics in the Western world, relaxed government laws continue to attract both Western scientists and companies to China as a place where they can comfortably conduct this controversial research, or have it carried out for them, according to a new report by market research firm Kline & Company.
However, China may offer low barriers to stem cell research, but not without risks, and there are several considerations Western companies must be aware of when entering into research deals in China.
For example, enforcement of IP protection laws is still weak compared to that of Western countries and to complicate matters even further, actual IP ownership is often unclear, as many of the Chinese biotech companies are partially supported by government-owned universities and research centres.
Another issue that should make Western companies nervous about investing in stem cell research in China is the recent scandal involving once-revered South Korean scientist, Hwang Woo Suk. Although no such large-scale cases of academic scandal have yet emerged from China, this case still has significant implications for the country's scientific credibility. This is because a weak review and evaluation system for research results, which was a major factor in Hwang's fraudulent act going unchecked for so long, is also citied by many researchers as being a problem in China.
The full article can be found on the 'In-pharmatechnologist.com' website
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