GUIDELINES finalised by the Indian Council of Medical Research-Department of Biotechnology (ICMR-DBT) on stem cell research and therapy in the country, after almost two years of nationwide deliberations, suggest a seperate mechanism for review and monitoring of the research at the Central level and a ban on research where germ cells (ova and sperms) can be created by genetic engineering and reproductive cloning. The guidelines, printed for the first time, will be sent to the government for adoption, following which all private and public institutions in the country would be obliged to abide by them. "We are technical experts but we are not the government. If the government adopts these guidelines, then they will be the law,' said Dr N K Ganguly, Director General, ICMR. If adopted by the Centre, this would be the first of its kind law to govern stem cell research in the country and institutions not following the guidelines would be penalised. The adoption is likely to be completed by early 2007.