General requirements for stem cells.

The standard 'General requirements for stem cells' is the first set of general guidelines for stem cell research and production in China, jointly drafted and agreed upon by experts from the Chinese Society for Stem Cell Research. This standard specifies the classification, ethical requirements, quality requirements, quality control requirements, detection control requirements and waste disposal requirements of stem cells, which is applicable to stem cell research and production. It was firstly released by the Chinese Society for Cell Biology on 1 August 2017 and was further revised on 30 April 2020. We hope that publication of these guidelines will promote institutional establishment, acceptance, and execution of proper protocols, and accelerate the international standardization of stem cells for clinical development and therapeutic applications.