New regulations governing the use of stem cells will be signed into law next week.
The EU Cells and Tissue Directive - which sets out guidelines for the donation and procurement of human cells - comes into force on April 7th.
For the directive to become law here, it must be transposed on to a statutory instrument by the Department of Health.
The Minister for Health Mary Harney has empowered the Irish Medicines Board to oversee the implementation of the regulations. The IMB will be empowered to visit any premises and inspect any process by which stem cells are stored or distributed.
Yesterday the IMB revealed it was investigating the provision of stem cell therapy to multiple sclerosis sufferers at a Cork GP's surgery. It was reported that MS suffers were paying as much as €18,500 for a three-hour session.
Advanced Cell Therapeutics (ACT), a biotechnology company based in Switzerland, is understood to be providing the controversial treatment to patients from the surgery of Dr John Dunphy in Carrigaline, Co Cork.
