China's Health Ministry on Tuesday ordered medical institutions to comply with government regulations when carrying out clinical trials regarding stem cell technology, as it moves to halt unauthorized stem cell therapy trials in a year-long campaign.

Ministry spokesman Deng Haihua said at a regular news briefing that medical institutions should not alter trials of approved clinical tests nor charge volunteers during such tests.

The ministry will not accept any new programs on stem cell technology until July 1, 2012, Deng said.

China has no specific national policy for clinical trials or application of stem cell technology. But such technology is subject to two general regulations governing all medical practices and applications of clinical tests.

The two regulations, respectively issued by the Health Ministry and China's top drug watchdog, places more importance on volunteers' rights, interests and health with regards to stem cell therapy.

The regulation allows the Health Ministry to strictly monitor medical technologies that are ethically controversial or high risk. Such technologies include cloning, autologous stem cells isolation, and transsexual operations.

Stem cell research has been a controversial issue since the first stem cells were isolated more than a decade ago. Critics object to the research because it destroys human embryos.

However, protagonists argue the cells have great potential in the fight against Parkinson's disease, diabetes and other serious illnesses.

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