On Tuesday, March 1, over 100 New Yorkers braved the snow storm to attend
a Lobby Day for stem cell research at our state capitol in Albany New
York, organized by NYAMR - New Yorkers for the Advancement of Medical
Research. People from the Parkinson's community, juvenile diabetes,
spinal cord injury patients, doctors, researchers, advocacy organizations
joined together and told our legislators  -- "DON'T DENY HOPE."

We learned that companion bills will be introduced in the Assembly and
Senate. A lot more people and effort will be needed to get these bills
signed by the governor. If you are from NYS or have family or friends in
NYS, please contact me to learn how you can help out, or see
www.nyamr.org

Linda Herman
[log in to unmask]

Press release:

SILVER INTRODUCES BILL TO `REALIZE GREAT POTENTIAL' OF STEM CELL RESEARCH

Proposal seeks to encourage life-saving medical advances: promote
economic development strengths

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today introduced legislation aimed at
keeping New York State at the forefront of biotechnology advances and
medical care by creating the New York State Institute for Stem Cell
Research and Regenerative Medicine. The not-for-profit entity will foster
and support vital explorations in the treatment of chronic degenerative
diseases.

Standing with Silver at a Capitol news conference in support of the
legislation were Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard Gottfried,
Insurance Committee Chair Pete Grannis, Assembly Legislative Commission
on Science and Technology Chair Adele Cohen and Amy Paulin, who chairs
the Assembly Task Force on People with Disabilities.

New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, who also supports the
legislation, was represented by Deputy Comptroller Kenneth Bleiwas who
highlighted a report released earlier today on the economic impact of
biotechnology. The Comptroller's report highlighted the importance of the
state's biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, which employed more
than 54,000 New Yorkers and generated more than $18 billion in economic
activity in New York in 2003.

Also participating were representatives from the New Yorkers for the
Advancement of Medical Research (NYAMR), a coalition of public-interest
groups representing the tens of thousands of New Yorkers who suffer from
diseases whose potential treatment and cure could come from stem cell
research.

According to Silver, the New York State Institute for Stem Cell Research
and Regenerative Medicine would provide financial and other support for
stem cell research and other initiatives related to regenerative
medicine. The landmark bill will promote the development of life-saving
and life-enhancing regenerative medical treatments, therapies and cures.

The not-for-profit agency established by Silver's legislation would also:

• make grants and loans to further stem cell research and regenerative
medicine and to support facilities involved in this work;

• support development of regenerative therapies, from research to
clinical trials;
• establish necessary and appropriate regulatory and oversight processes,
procedures and structures for research and facilities development; and

• prioritize the use of funds for scientific work that has the greatest
potential for producing therapies and cures specifically utilizing stem
cell research.

Funding would come from a new Health Care Reform Act (HCRA), which is
expected to begin July 1, 2005. For this year, $100 million would be
allocated and this would grow to $200 million in the second year of the
two-year HCRA cycle.

"As medical science advances toward a cure for some of the most
debilitating diseases facing our communities, it is becoming increasingly
clear that the solution may be found in therapeutic cloning and stem cell
research," said Silver, who has been a staunch supporter of the potential
of this promising new medical technology and has sponsored legislation to
ensure its appropriate use since 2003.

"When I first introduced legislation in 2003, I was honored to stand with
Christopher Reeve who dedicated his life to advancing stem cell
research," said Silver. "With his death last year, the world lost a truly
inspiring crusader who fought not only on his own behalf but for the
countless millions who suffer debilitating, life-threatening diseases
that may be addressed through this type of critical research. We must
seek to further the potential of these lifesaving efforts by tapping into
the world-class scientific resources in which New York has already made
investments such as the biotech research corridors around the Roswell
Park Cancer Center in Buffalo, SITNY Stony Brook on Long Island, and in
the Lower Manhattan Bioscience Corridor."

"Ordinarily, Americans rely on the federal government to fund biomedical
research. But Washington is failing to fund stem cell research for
political and ideological reasons that have nothing to do with science.
The states have to step in, and New York should be in the lead," said
Gottfried (D-Manhattan).

"New York State is world-renowned for the excellence of its academic
medical institutions," said Grannis (D-Manhattan). "This bill will put
New York at the forefront of exciting new research to develop cures for
diabetes, Alzheimer's, cancer and other diseases."

"Stem cell research, now in its infancy, gives us hope that doctors can
replace diseased or dysfunctional cells with healthy functioning ones.
That means preventing, alleviating, even curing a host of serious
illnesses and injuries so costly in terms of both human suffering and of
money. New York, with all

its intellectual resources, should be a leader in this vital research.
For all these reasons, I am glad to support Assembly Speaker Sheldon
Silver," said Paulin (D-Scarsdale).

"We need to draw upon the strengths of New York State's research
institutions to help advance medical science. This legislation recognizes
New York as a leading center for biotechnology with great accomplishments
in cutting edge research and with great promise for further scientific
achievement as well as economic growth. This initiative will take the
next steps," said Cohen (D-Brooklyn).

The Hevesi report notes that by supporting and encouraging growth in
these industries, New York State could gain 7,000 jobs in these areas
over the next seven years. An estimated 5,000 of these jobs would be in
manufacturing and could buoy the economies of Albany, Buffalo and
Rochester, where biotech already has a presence and manufacturing
employment has been in decline for years.

"Biotechnology is already an important element of New York State's
economy, and it is clearly in our economic interest to continue to
nurture and support biotech and related industries," Hevesi said. "If we
don't provide the level of support available in other states, research
and development and all the jobs and opportunities that accompany it,
will happen elsewhere."

The legislators, who noted the Assembly had over the past two years
overwhelmingly passed legislation supporting stem cell research and
therapeutic cloning, again called for a ban on human cloning. The bill
being advanced by Silver would, as in the past, prohibit the use of
reproductive cloning, while allowing critical scientific activities
concerning both therapeutic cloning and stem cell research, as well as
the related applications of such research, and in-vitro fertilization.
Violations of the reproductive cloning prohibition would include
prosecution as a Class D felony and civil penalties of up to $1 million.

"Reproductive cloning holds many ethical and moral taboos. It is a
practice we want to ensure does not take place in New York State," said
Silver. "However, stem cell research is a valuable tool for scientists in
the quest to solve the mysteries of some of our most terrible illnesses.
Stem cell research holds promise for

the legions of people who are stricken with conditions ranging from
spinal cord injuries to infertility."
The institute created under the bill would be governed by a board of 19
members, to be appointed by the Speaker, the governor, the temporary
president of the Senate, the attorney general and the comptroller.

Organizations in support of the bill include New Yorkers for the
Advancement of Medical Research (NYAMR), which consists of Academic
Medicine Development Company (AMDeC), a biotechnology advocacy
organization; American Diabetes Association; Biotechnology Association of
New York;

Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation; Columbia University Medical
Center; Community Health Charities of New York; Hadassah, the Women's
Zionist Organization of America; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation;
Lupus Foundation; Parkinson's Action Network; Parkinson's Alliance;
Parkinson's Disease Foundation; Project ALS; and the Tourette's Syndrome
Association.

"The legislation introduced today by Assembly Speaker Silver is an
essential step to maintain and expand a competitive biomedical research
enterprise in New York," said Dr. Maria Mitchell, president of AMDeC, a
statewide consortium of institutions concerned with advancing medical
science. "Speaker Silver's great leadership is vital to New York on this
issue, especially as other states are moving aggressively to pursue the
promising opportunities created by stem cell research. Even before
California's initiative, Speaker Silver had introduced legislation
promoting stem cell research in New York State. He knows that effective
partnerships between New York's world-class academic medical
institutions, biotech companies and government are critical to building
the new structures that will advance our state's biomedical research
enterprise.

"We also applaud Comptroller Hevesi's initiative in documenting the
importance of biomedical research and biotech companies to New York's
economic vitality," said Dr. Mitchell.

"I am one of the millions of American children and adults that suffer
from Juvenile Diabetes 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and every minute
of my life. Stem cell research will not only hopefully yield a cure for
juvenile diabetes but will also put an end to what is a life changing
disease. With a cure the thousands of Americans who have juvenile
diabetes will finally be able to say that they once "had" juvenile
diabetes and no longer have to deal with everyday events that go along
with the disease. Support and funding for stem cell research will not
only help millions of people with juvenile diabetes, but countless others
who suffer from illnesses such as Alzheimer's, cystic fibrosis,
Parkinson's, and spinal chord injuries. This research has the power to
change the lives of thousands of Americans and in doing so also change
mine," said Michelle DeVito, a 15-year old from Guilderland who lives
with juvenile diabetes.

"I would like to again thank Speaker Silver and the other members of the
Assembly for acting on this important legislation. I hope that the Senate
will pass this through the Senate Health Committee and Majority Leader
Bruno will bring it to the Senate floor," said Mike Discipio, who was
made a quadriplegic in

a swimming accident and lives in the town of Colonie. Discipio came to
the Capitol to support the speaker's legislation, which, he said, "could
lead to historic breakthroughs in treatments and, ultimately, cures."

"As world leaders in stem cell research at the Hadassah Medical
Organization in Jerusalem, Israel, and as patient advocates in the U.S.,
Hadassah is eager for the realization of the promise of stem cell
research. New York State is known for having some of the best medical
centers, hospitals and research institutes. New York should not be left
behind, while institutions in other states attract the top doctors and
researchers in the new century. We applaud Speaker Silver for his bold
leadership in proposing that New York State build an institute devoted
entirely to stem cell research and regenerative medicine. We strongly
urge the New York State Assembly and Senate to quickly pass this
legislation for the benefit of all New Yorkers," said June Walker,
national president, Hadassah.

"New York's world-class medical research institutions are encouraged by
the leadership of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Comptroller Alan
Hevesi," said Antonio M. Gotto, Jr., M.D., Dean and Provost for Medical
Affairs of the Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell
University. Dr. Gotto, who also serves as Vice Chair of AMDeC's Board of
Directors, added, "The Speaker's proposal to advance stem cell research
within New York State is vital to our remaining competitive with other
states, as well as essential to the more important cause: solving
challenging questions of disease and public health, for which research
involving stem cells is most promising."

"Stem cell research offers a medical revolution as powerful as the
previous revolutions of vaccination and antibiotics. Moreover, stem
cell-based therapies will demonstrate their value just as rapidly as did
these prior discoveries. This is because, just like vaccination, stem
cell therapies are based on

enabling the cells of our body to perform the task that is their normal
job, the creation and repair of our bodies' parts. New York State
currently has an exceptionally rich base of stem cell scientists. It
would be a tragedy if New York were the only state with such an
outstanding scientific base not to be actively promoting this next
medical revolution. The luring of New York State stem cell biologists to
other states already has begun. With this effort, we will not only stop
this loss, but reverse it, and bring still more of these individuals to
New York State's outstanding scientific institutions," said Dr. Mark D.
Noble, Ph.D., Professor of Biomedical Genetics at the Department of
Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center.

"Once again, Speaker Sheldon Silver has demonstrated outstanding
leadership in his commitment to opening the doors of science and the work
of scientists to hasten the end of diseases that are suffered by millions
of New Yorkers. We salute him and in this legislative session, we look
forward to a genuinely bipartisan, bicameral initiative in support of
stem cell research and other life-enhancing therapies - by any measure,
one of the most important issues of our time," said Robin Anthony
Elliott, executive director, Parkinson's Disease Foundation

"The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation applauds New York State
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver for his leadership in initiating landmark
legislation authorizing embryonic stem cell research in New York. Speaker
Silver has kept hope alive for thousands of New York families and
millions of other Americans suffering from chronic or debilitating
illnesses. His bill will ensure that New York becomes a leader in this
critical area of research," said Herb Gordon of the Juvenile Diabetes
Research Foundation.

"Over one million people in New York have diabetes, many suffering from
its effects - heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and lower
limb amputations. It is also a leading cause of death. Stem cell research
is an exciting area in modern medicine which holds great hope in our
search for a cure," stated Stephen Habbe, Advocacy Director for the
American Diabetes Association.

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