>Copy of letter sent to senator spector and all members of his committee
>holding hearings on stem-cell research.
>
>Dear Senator
>
>I am writing to you in support of  lifting the ban on the Federal
>funding of stem-cell research.
>
>I am a 53 year old physician currently receiving social security
>disability  (as well as private insurance) and confined to a wheelchair
>with Parkinson's Disease.  I ask that you consider my views as a
>physician, a person with Parkinson's Disease and as a (former) taxpayer.
>
>Recent breakthroughs in stem-cell  research offer almost unlimited
>possibilities for the treatment of many of our most serious and
>disabling illnesses.  Because of a ban on Federal funding of this type
>of research,   Nobel-prize quality work such as that of Dr. Thomson  at
>the University of Wisconsin  has needed to be privately funded   Failure
>to finance this research is certain to slow the development of this
>cutting-edge technology in the US  and with it,  the possibilities for
>life-saving cures for Diabetes, Parkinson's Disease, Spinal Cord injury
>and other illnesses.
>
>While I understand the issues leading to the prohibition of the research
>are not financial, the fiscal benefits of cures being found for some of
>these diseases would be significant. As an example, if If I were not
>disabled I would not be receiving over $xxx  a year in Social Security
>Benefits and in addition I would be paying $xxx  a year in taxes which I
>don't pay.
>
>I do respect the objections of certain individuals concerning the ethics
>of such research but  my understanding is that the cell-line that Dr.
>Thomson developed is from the product of an in vitro fertilization (tet
>tube) undertaken for the purpose of having a child.  The embryo was left
>over and would have been discarded if it had not been used for this
>purpose.
>
>With stem-cell technology even more than other fetal cell use, the
>charge that the use of this technology is "murder" is patently absurd
>and if that word is to be thrown around it could better be applied to
>those who impede the development of this potentially life-saving
>bio-technology.
>
>I clearly recognize that there are ethical issues which need to be
>discussed and monitored.  But wouldn't it be better accomplished in the
>ethics committees mandated by Congress to review the research as a
>condition of funding rather than counting on the moral values of
>corporate funders of the research to put morality over profit?
>
>Also, ironically,  since certain fetal research is not banned and
>stem-cell research will likely make most of that research obsolete,
>funding this research would almost certainly decrease the use of aborted
>fetuses for medical research purposes.
>
>Please lift the ban and get this important work funded.
>
>I thank you for your time in considering my opinions and observations.
>
>
>Sincerely yours,
>
>Charles T. Meyer,  M.D.
>3315 Prairie Glade Rd.
>Middleton, Wisconsin 53562
>[log in to unmask]
>-FAX  608-833-9114
>Phone 608-833-9226
>*******************************************************************************
>***********

Dr: Meyer:  Would you be so kind as to tell me who are the members of Sen.
Spector's committee and their e-mail addresses, so I can write and support
your letters to them.   Thanks -  Ralph Reichert