Alliances, collaborations and consortia: the International Stem Cell Forum and its role in shaping global governance and policy.

It can be asserted that the stem cell field be classified as a global enterprise, as evidenced by the proliferation of transnational stem cell initiatives, alliances, networks and institutions. Moreover, the sustainability of the field is - to a great extent - dependent on the ability of such actors to enable cross-jurisdictional collaboration by fostering the sharing of stem cell-related resources and data. Kofi Annan's statement that "arguing against globalization is like arguing against the law of gravity" could not be more true when applied to the context of stem cells.