The National Academies called for the establishment of Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight (ESCRO) Committees in its 2005 Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research to manage the ethical and legal concerns in human embryonic stem cell research.[1] Because of the complexity and novelty of many of the issues involved in that research, the Guidelines committee believes that all research institutions engaged in human embryonic stem cell research should create and maintain these committees at the local level.