India's modified Biomedical Research Bill to be sent to Health Ministry soon

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will soon send a modified Biomedical Research Human Subjects Promotion and Regulation Bill to the Union Health Ministry for its final approval before introducing it in Parliament.

The ICMR is currently putting the final touches to the Bill, which mainly incorporates ethical guidelines for biomedical research on human subjects, has been lying dormant since it was cleared by the law ministry way back in January 2006.

Addressing the media at the conclusion of a recent two-day international symposium on stem cell research, Vasantha Muthuswamy, senior deputy director general at the ICMR, said that 'separate legislation will be made to incorporate all aspects and issues pertaining to biomedical research.'

The review committee formed to give final shape to the legislation 'will meet soon and will finalize the Bill,' said ICMR director general Vishwa Mohan Katoch, adding that, since the Bill has been pending for many years, several of its features have become irrelevant and have to be reviewed and changes have to be made accordingly.