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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