The International Society for Stem Cell Research (www.isscr.org) supports all forms of stem cell research and application, including induced pluripotent stem cells.
Of particular interest of GAiT members will be ISSCR’s Clinical Translation Committee. GAiT Director Prof Jihwan Song is a member of this committee.
http://engage.isscr.org/CommitteeDetail?CommCode=CLINCOMM
GAiT Director Prof Ron Li spoke at the committee’s workshop on clinical translation in 2020.
Mission of the ISSCR’s Clinical Translation Committee
- Develop a strong and active translational and clinical presence within the ISSCR that reflects its growing impact within society.
- Provide leadership and develop strategy for the programs that support scientists, physicians, regulatory agencies and industry in the translation and development of stem cell-based therapies.
- Provide leadership in and support for developing programs and messages for the public on the application and use of stem cell-based therapies in a scientifically rigorous and ethical manner
Significant activities of the ISSCR’s Clinical Translation Committee
- Practical Advice for Physicians and Ethics / Institutional Review Committees. The ISSCR’s “Stem Cell-Based Clinical Trials: Practical Advice for Physicians and Ethics/Institutional Review Committees” provides background and fundamental questions for clinicians and ethics / institutional review committees to ask when considering running or reviewing early phase, cell-based clinical trials.
http://www.isscr.org/scientific-clinical-resources/stem-cell-based-clinical-trials
- Disease Fact Sheets. These physician-focused, concise highlights provide the current state of stem cell science for specific diseases, including background on the disease, rationale for using cell-based therapies, evidence for specific approaches and current status of the field with respect to clinical trials. There are currently fact sheets on 11 different diseases.
https://www.isscr.org/scientific-clinical-resources/disease-fact-sheets
- Disease Fact Sheets. The fact sheets for physicians were “translated” to be suitable to public understanding and placed on the ISSCR’s public website, A Closer Look at Stem Cells.
- Advising on ISSCR on translationally-related activities as needed. This includes:
- Meeting content, such as the Workshop on Clinical Translation
- Informed Consent Standard for Stem Cell-Based Interventions. This document outlines a professional standard for the information that needs to be provided to patients (or their legally valid surrogates) to help position them to make an informed decision if offered stem cell-based interventions outside of a formal clinical trial. https://www.isscr.org/scientific-clinical-resources/informed-consent-standard-for-stem-cell-based-interventions
