Potential Administration Compromise on Stem Cell Research
Will Not Suffice
Limited Number of Stem Cells Lines Not Enough for Quality
Research And May Violate NIH Ethics Guidelines

WASHINGTON, July 3 /PRNewswire/ -- In the July 9th issue
of "Newsweek," it was reported that the Administration is
considering a compromise on embryonic stem cell research to
appease both groups that oppose the research and the
majority of Americans, scientists, and research organizations
that support it.

"Newsweek" states that the compromise would allow the federal
government to provide funds for embryonic stem cell research
using the existing half-dozen cell lines already in existence, which
were developed by privately owned companies.  The article also
noted that the Department of Health and Human Services would
write rules to compel the owners of those cell lines to share
them with other researchers.  Unfortunately, leading researchers
agree that this proposal is not a compromise as it would severely
limit the scientific promise and advances which could help find
cures for 100 million Americans suffering from Parkinson's,
diabetes, cancer, spinal cord injuries, ALS and other debilitating
diseases.

"A decision by the President to only make a certain number of
stem cell lines available will inhibit research and prevent or delay
important advances toward real cures for such diseases as
Alzheimer's, diabetes, Parkinson's, congestive heart failure and
many forms of cancer," said Paul Berg, Ph.D., Nobel Laureate,
Cahill Professor of Cancer Research and Biochemistry, and
Director of Beckman Center, Stanford University School
of Medicine.

"If federal funds are only allowed to be used for research on the
six stem cell lines already derived it will effectively end the ability
of NIH-funded scientists to contribute to meaningful stem cell
research -- this is not a compromise," said Gerald Dr. Fischbach,
M.D., Executive Vice President for Health Sciences at Columbia
University and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine.

"I believe it is the NIH-supported research that will lead most
directly to cures for life-threatening diseases.  The NIH guidelines
were carefully constructed over the course of one year and they
include the opinion and views of scientists, ethicists and
laypersons.  It is not clear that the existing six stem cell lines meet
the rigorous criteria set forth in these guidelines."

"Moreover, the six lines being discussed by the Administration
are not sufficiently diverse enough for research.  Research in mouse
models has proven that there are subtle differences between
embryonic stem cell lines -- not all are alike.  Thus, researchers
need time to explore a wide variety of embryonic stem cell lines
in order to determine which are the most effective and safe for
therapeutic purposes," added Dr. Fischbach.

"The six cell lines are not sufficient to fully explore the potential
of embryonic stem cell research because these lines show some
extreme variations in their ability to grow and differentiate.  So few
human lines have been isolated and of those in existence, it is
already known that several do not grow well in culture, thus they
are not practically useful.  Moreover, since one biotech company
has exclusive rights to these very few cell lines, it's not in the public
interest to restrict the research to just those," said Doug Melton,
Ph.D., Chair, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology,
Harvard University.

"It is difficult to predict which lines would act or perform
appropriately in all the various kinds of experimental paradigms
to which investigators would subject these lines in attempts to
produce large numbers of homogeneous cells of any given lineage.
Six lines seems to me to be below the number that would be desired
to assure, with high probability, that we would obtain lines that
would be exploitable for the formidable research that lies ahead,"
said John Gearhart, Ph.D., Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics,
Johns Hopkins Medicine.

"I would strongly oppose limitations on the number of embryonic
stem cell lines available for research.  Limiting available lines
artificially limits research for no good reason, which in turn, limits
our chances of finding cures and treatments," said Lawrence S.B.
Goldstein, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Cellular & Molecular
Medicine and Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute at
University of California San Diego.

The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR)
is a stem cell research advocacy coalition comprised of over
50 universities, scientific societies, and voluntary health
organizations.  The goal of the coalition is to ensure that current
federal policy regarding funding for stem cell research is retained.

For more information visit the website:
http://www.stemcellfunding.org/

MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT - Click Here:
http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X38212226

SOURCE  Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research
Web Site: http://www.stemcellfunding.org

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-03-2001/0001526547&EDATE=

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