thank you thank you thank you
Rayilyn Brown
Director AZNPF
Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation
[log in to unmask]

--------------------------------------------------
From: "PATTI ZAPF" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2009 5:28 AM
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: ESCR under attack -   CONTACT NIH TODAY!!!

> alan and i each sent a message.
> thank you!
>
> On May 14, 2009, at 3:55 AM, JOHN YOCHIM wrote:
>
>> Thank you Ray. I told them.
>>
>> --- On Thu, 5/14/09, rayilynlee <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>> From: rayilynlee <[log in to unmask]>
>> Subject: ESCR under attack -   CONTACT NIH TODAY!!!
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Date: Thursday, May 14, 2009, 1:16 AM
>>
>> CONTACT THE N.I.H. TODAY!  A personal request from Don C. Reed
>> Action asked: Click on the following to contact National Institutes  of 
>> Health:
>>
>> http://nihoerextra.nih.gov/stem_cells/add.htm.
>>
>> Dear Stem Cell Research Advocate:
>>
>> The next 14 days are crucial in the stem cell research struggle.
>>
>> Here's why.
>>
>> Remember when President Obama signed that document removing the Bush 
>> stem cell restrictions? That same day he called upon the National 
>> Institutes of Health to draft a new set of guidelines for scientists 
>> wanting federal funding.
>>
>> Those guidelines have just been issued. 
>> (http://stemcells.nih.gov/policy/2009draft.htm )
>>
>> The next 14 days are the comment period for the new guidelines for  stem 
>> cell research, which American scientists will have to live with  if they 
>> want federal funding. This is the public's only chance to  shape those 
>> guidelines: which can be improved-or made worse.
>> Unfortunately, there are problems!
>>
>> Not only are the guidelines far more conservative than we had hoped,  but 
>> opponents of the research are systematically flooding the  comment 
>> process.
>>
>> Led by the Catholic Church and other conservative religious bodies,  a 
>> national campaign has begun: to attack early stem cell research by  mass 
>> emails to the NIH.
>>
>> *"The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) launched  a 
>> new "Oppose Destructive Stem Cell Research" campaign today,  equipping 
>> citizens to contact Congress and the National Institutes  of Health (NIH) 
>> to oppose embryonic stem cell research ."  --  WASHINGTON, May 6 
>> /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ www.usccb.org/stemcellcampaign
>>
>> Is their anti-research campaign having an effect?
>>
>> Dr. Wise Young of Rutgers University , ". of the 6000 plus comments  that 
>> NIH has received concerning the draft guidelines, 99% were from  people 
>> who opposed embryonic stem cell research."-Carecure Forum 
>> http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showpost.php?p=1039001&postcount=12
>> Imagine what the enemies of research will do with a statistic like  that! 
>> Think of the State Senators and Representatives who have to  fight for 
>> stem cell funding-they will be hammered-no politician ever  wants to 
>> stand alone.
>>
>> Supporters of stem cell research must be heard.
>>
>> To prevail, we need to do three things: inform ourselves, act 
>> individually, and reach out to our networks.
>> First, read this message all the way through; it contains background 
>> information from the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical  Research 
>> (CAMR), and other sources.
>>
>> Second, send your message to the government.  Click on the comment  box 
>> you will find at the following url:
>> http://nihoerextra.nih.gov/stem_cells/add.htm
>>
>> Third, SHARE THIS LETTER-or write your own-- email all your contacts.
>>
>> Any statement of support has impact. One sentence can make a  difference.
>>
>> Something like: "I support embryonic stem cell research, and am glad 
>> some of the restrictions are being loosened."  That matters.
>>
>> Anyone who clicks on the comment box, and writes in a sentence-that 
>> message will be tallied as one citizen in support. Of course, you  may 
>> say more if you want. If you are a long-term research supporter,  your 
>> letter will be put in the expert witness category.
>>
>> (If you want to get more involved in shaping the guidelines, that  would 
>> be helpful. The guidelines are politically very timid, and  must be 
>> strengthened. Problems:
>>
>> a "grandfather clause" is needed to insure that every stem cell line 
>> already approved under the previous stringent guidelines will be 
>> eligible; that alternate sources of stem cell lines such as SCNT and 
>> parthenogenesis will not be excluded from funding, and more. (see  CAMR 
>> comments below.)
>>
>> But every patient advocate in America must at least click on the  comment 
>> box, and make a statement in support of early stem cell  research.
>>
>> This affects everyone in America, and the world. MORE THAN ONE  PERSON IN 
>> A FAMILY MAY COMMENT. Every adult friend or family member  should click 
>> and make a comment-- as well as every scientist,  medical student, every 
>> teacher, every parent-everyone who has a  reason to want stem cell 
>> therapies and cures.
>>
>> Here it is, one more time: http://nihoerextra.nih.gov/stem_cells/add.htm 
>> .
>>
>> Or, send a letter (ideally on letterhead) to: NIH Stem Cell  Guidelines, 
>> MSC 7997,  9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda , Maryland ,  20892-7997
>>
>> But whatever you are going to do, do it now. There is very little  time 
>> before the May 26th deadline.
>>
>> We have worked hard, many years. We are so close. We must not falter 
>> now.
>>
>> Click on the button, send your comments in-do it today, please.
>>
>> And thanks. You make the difference: you are one of the overworked  few 
>> who change the world.
>>
>> P.S. Here is a letter from Amy Comstock-Rick, President of the  Coalition 
>> for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR); I copied  it from CAMR's 
>> website, where much more information can be found: www.camradvocacy.org .
>> Help Ensure Strong Federal Support for Embryonic Stem Cell Research -
>> Submit Comments to the NIH on its Draft Guidelines
>> As you know, President Obama recently issued an Executive Order 
>> instructing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop 
>> guidelines to establish a framework for federal funding of embryonic 
>> stem cell research.  NIH has released its draft guidelines, and the 
>> public has the opportunity to comment on the draft over the next few 
>> weeks.  NIH will analyze the content, as well as volume, of the  comments 
>> as it finalizes the guidelines.
>> It will be critical for NIH to hear from the public during the  comment 
>> period.  Please follow the instructions below to submit your  comments to 
>> ensure that the final guidelines are crafted in a way  that ensures that 
>> this science advances as quickly as possible.   And, please share the 
>> link to this page with your friends, family,  and anyone you know who 
>> supports embryonic stem cell research.
>> How to submit your comments:
>> Click http://nihoerextra..nih.gov/stem_cells/add.htm to be connected  to 
>> the NIH comment form;
>> Provide your name, and select `self' for Affiliation; and
>> Copy and paste the text below into the comment box, provide the  security 
>> check ID on the form, and click `submit comments.'
>> Suggested comment text (copy and paste into Comment section of NIH 
>> comment form and edit as appropriate for you):
>> Embryonic stem cell research holds great promise for millions of 
>> Americans suffering from many diseases and disorders.  I am not a 
>> scientist, but I have been following progress in this field with  great 
>> interest.  Significant strides have been made over the past  decade, and 
>> the final guidelines issued by NIH must build on this  progress so that 
>> cures and new therapies can get to patients as  quickly as possible.  The 
>> final guidelines should not create new  bureaucratic hurdles that will 
>> slow the pace of progress.
>> I am pleased that these draft guidelines -- in Section II B -- would 
>> appear to permit federal funding of stem cell lines previously not 
>> eligible for federal funding and for new lines created in the future 
>> from surplus embryos at fertility clinics. However, as drafted,  Section 
>> II B does not ensure that any current stem cell line will  meet the 
>> criteria outlined and thus be eligible for federal  funding.  It will be 
>> important for the final guidelines to allow  federal funds for research 
>> using all stem cell lines created by  following ethical practices at the 
>> time they were derived.  This  will ensure that the final guidelines 
>> build on progress that has  already been made.
>> I also believe that the final guidelines should permit federal  funding 
>> for stem cell lines derived from sources other than excess  IVF embryos, 
>> such as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).  Sections  II B and IV of 
>> the draft guidelines do not permit such federal  funding and I recommend 
>> that the final guidelines provide federal  funding using stem cell lines 
>> derived in other ways.  If not, it is  essential that the NIH continue to 
>> monitor developments in this  exciting research area and to update these 
>> guidelines as the  research progresses.
>> Thank you!
>> Sincerely,
>> Amy Comstock Rick, president
>> Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research
>>
>> Rayilyn Brown
>> Director AZNPF
>> Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation
>> [log in to unmask]
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