National Institutes of Health (NIH) director Francis Collins approved 27 more human embryonic stem cell lines as eligible for federal funding on Monday, bringing the total number of new lines to 40 -- almost double the number of previously okayed lines under the administration of former President George W. Bush.

Human embryonic stem cells Image: Wikimedia commons, Nissim Benvenisty

"I am hopeful that this will be an important boost to the healing work envisioned by the National Institutes of Health in its support of this field of research," Collins said in a statement.

However, Collins has limited the federal funding of these lines to the use specifically stated on the consent forms: diabetes-related pancreatic research.

The move came after a committee advising the NIH director recommended that 27 of 28 lines -- all part of a single submission from Harvard University -- be approved with such limitations. Consent for the derivation of the 28th line came during a lapse in the institution's IRB, and thus was not recommended for approval.

As of yet, the NIH has not responded to the committee's request for guidelines addressing the broader use of embryos derived for a specific purpose.


Related stories:

27 more hESC lines head for OK
[4th December 2009]

NIH OKs 13 stem cell lines
[2nd December 2009]

NIH picks stem cell panel
[21st September 2009]