A recent article in the Jamaica Observer highlighted a gap in the regulatory framework supporting the stem cell industry in the Caribbean. The increasing awareness of the potential of stem cells as a treatment for many different types of illnesses has triggered the opening of stem cell projects in several parts of the the world – and the Caribbean is no exception.
One difference, however, with the stem cell industry in this part of the world is that they are not regulated by medical governance laws, which is necessary given that the use of stems cells is still regarded as an experimental rather than standard treatment.
There is one exception however – The Bahamas. The Bahamian government specifically put regulations in place to govern such companies or organisations in the Bahamas – something that Grace Century project partner Provia Labs had the vision to recognise.
Grace Century President and Director of Research Scott Wolf commented “Stem Cell research and its treatment must be governed in these early stages by oversight, and Provia had the foresight to go to the one Caribbean nation that does regulate stem cells, as James Manganello, the Chairman for Provia is on the founding fathers of the Bahamian Stem Cell Ethics committee”
