Indian institutions working in the area of stem cell research should constitute and register their Institutional Committee for Stem Cell Research (IC-SCR) with the National Apex Committee for Stem Cell Research and Therapy (NAC-SCRT). The launch of dedicated site will help facilitate the registration of  IC-SCR easily as the documents can be submitted online now. Besides that it would provide the updated information on the regulatory guidelines from time to time. 

The apex body constituted by the Department of Health Research (DHR), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Governemnt of India oversees the activities in the field of stem cell research in India. The NAC-SCRT will examine the scientific, technical, ethical, legal and social issues involving stem cell research and therapy in India.

As per the National Guidelines for Stem Cell Research - 2013, "at present, there are no approved indications for stem cell therapy other than Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) for haematological disorders. Accordingly, all stem cell therapies other than the above shall be treated as investigational and may be conducted only in the form of clinical trials after obtaining necessary regulatory approvals. Use of stem cells for any other purpose outside the domain of clinical trials will be considered unethical and hence not permissible."

Among the enclosures that are mandatory along with the duly filled application form include SOP for functioning of IC-SCR in the prescribed format, latest CVs of all the IC-SCR members, brief summaries of all stem cell related projects in the prescribed format [word file only, copies of regulatory approvals of all stem cell related projects.