Stem Cell Research in the Greater Middle East: The Importance of Establishing Policy and Ethics Interoperability to Foster International Collaborations

Abstract

While fossil fuel reserves have strengthened the economies of numerous countries in the Greater Middle East (GME) for decades, multiple nations within this region are now increasingly investing in internal science and engineering programs as a mechanism to develop more extensive knowledge-based economies. One of these newly pursued disciplines is stem cell research. Nations such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar have founded nascent programs while Iran, Turkey, and Israel are more established in the field. The extent to which these investments have been productive, as measured by publication quantity and impact, remains unknown. Here we assess the state of stem cell research in the GME, report on the policy and ethical considerations facing the region, and determine the impact of international research collaborations in this area. In the majority of the region, there is no legal framework regulating stem cell research. Instead, scientists often rely on religious decrees outlining acceptable practices. These guidelines do not provide the necessary structure to foster international collaborations with nations that have enacted formal laws recognized worldwide. Our results illustrate that international collaborations in the GME produce publications of greater impact despite the fact that political tensions and issues unrelated to science have the potential to dramatically hinder cross-border relationships in the region. Overall, we conclude that the national governments of countries within the GME have the unique opportunity to establish stem cell research policies which confer interoperability between nations to foster crucial international collaborations throughout the region.

Developments in Stem Cell Research and Therapeutic Cloning: Islamic Ethical Positions, a Review

“…56 Turkey and Tunisia are the only Muslim countries that have recognized national policies related to human embryonic stem cell research. 57 The Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Ethics, along with the History of Medicine Research Center in Tehran, Iran, developed special guidelines for stem cell research. 58 In general, scientists in Muslim countries rely on religious decrees (fatwas) that outline acceptable practices.…”

Globalization of Stem Cell Science: An Examination of Current and Past Collaborative Research Networks

“…This is also true within the subfield of stem cell research [6]–[7]. There are many possible explanations for this phenomenon.…”

Sino-Canadian Collaborations in Stem Cell Research: A Scientometric Analysis

“…We also noted whether the paper was a review or hypothesis paper, basic research, or a case study/clinical trial/applied research. This methodology was adapted from Flynn and Matthews [35].…”

“…Previous studies have examined international collaboration in stem cell research involving the US, the UK, and countries in the Middle East [30],[35]. However, there is limited understanding of collaboration in stem cell research involving the emerging economies, particularly China.…”