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For PD advocates, First, I think Joan Samuelson did an extraordinary job of describing how pro-"life" pressures on many Senators like Sen. McCain, who are in this camp in general, do not prevent votes for either stem cell or fetal tisse research. Joan's analysis of Washington's political machinations shows clearly that abortion issues are separate from pre-natal research issues. The most powerful statement Joan made, for me, is to have acknowleged to the Washington Post readers that "I have Parkinson's Disease." I have found that when I state this to anyone, including , for example, Sen. Snowe, and that stem cell and other pre-natal research may help to keep me, and thousands more like me, alive, that the "opposition" to such research melts. I think that we PWP's and loved ones must try to make personal contact with the crucial Senators of our home states. I hope that any PIEN readers who wish to do so will feel free to quote or send any part of my own Senate Testimony, submitted to Senator Specter by Senator Snowe for the Appropriations Hearing, last September 28th, to their Senators or Congresspersons. Thank you again, Joan, for being a great leader. Ivan Suzman On Wed, 23 Feb 2000 18:37:21 -0500 Greg Sterling <[log in to unmask]> writes: >For those that missed this post by Charlote Mancuso on 2-11-2000. How >does >this letter support Joan Samuelson's position on John McCain's views >on stem >cell research? Noone seems to want to try to answer this >contradcition. > >Greg >47/35/35 > >Looks like John McCain has caved: >This is what I was afraid of; didn't he say even recently that he was >for >stem cells? Now McCain signs a letter under the political >pressure from Trent Lott, who was the one who scuttled the stem cell >wording >from the Senate's HHS appropriations Bill for FY2000. > > >DEBATE OVER FETAL TISSUE RESEARCH HEATS UP AGAIN AS COMMENTS ON >PROPOSED >STEM CELL RESEARCH GUIDELINES ENCOMPASS USING EMBRYOS AND FETAL TISSUE >AS >SOURCES > >Proponents of stem cell research may soon find themselves fighting a >two-front battle: as opponents ratchet up their efforts to block >funding >for experiments with embryonic cells, some of these same forces are >working >to at least discourage research with another stem cell source--fetal >tissue. > >On the human embryo front, last week, Sen. Pete Domenici, R-NM, a >strong >supporter of medical research and chair of the Senate Budget >Committee, >Sen. John McCain, R-AZ, presidential candidate and chair of the >Senate >Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, and Senate Majority >Leader >Trent Lott, R-MS, were among 20 Senators who signed a letter to the >National Institutes of Health opposing the agency's plan to fund >experiments with stem cells derived from human embryos. Last year, a >similar effort attracted the signatures of only seven Senators. > >The letter states that "despite their title," guidelines proposed by >NIH >for such work "do not regulate stem cell research." > >"Rather, they regulate the means by which researchers may obtain and >destroy live human embryos in order to receive federal funds for >subsequent >research," the Senators claim. "Clearly, the destruction of human >embryos >is an integral part of the contemplated research, in violation of the >law." > >The Senators were referring to a federal law that forbids taxpayer >funds >from being used for experiments that result in the destruction of a >human >embryo. > >Also signing the letter were Senators Sam Brownback, R-KS, Don >Nickles, >R-OK, George Voinovich, R-OH, John Ashcroft, R-MO, Jeff Sessions, >R-AL, >Jesse Helms, R-NC, Chuck Hagel, R-NE, Michael Enzi, R-WY, Rick >Santorum, >R-PA, Mike DeWine, R-OH, Kit Bond, R-MO, Bob Smith, R-NH, Tim >Hutchinson, >R-AR, Rod Grams, R-MN, Conrad Burns, R-MT, Jon Kyl, R-AZ, and Jim >Bunning, >R-KY. > >NIH officials insist their plan stays within the confines of the >current >ban on federal support for embryo research since agency funds could >be >spent only on work with stem cells, not embryos. The language in the >guidelines that addresses the embryos themselves is intended by NIH >to >ensure their grantees acquire only stem cells from what the agency >considers to be legitimate sources. > >For example, the proposed guidelines require that stem cells used by >NIH-funded investigators must be derived from embryos left over from >an >infertility treatment, are no longer needed for a pregnancy, and are >obtained through an informed consent process. > >Meanwhile, the NIH guidelines also include requirements for grantees >who >plan to work with fetal tissue as their stem cell source. But this >aspect >of the guidelines has gotten comparatively little attention, mainly >because, unlike embryos, the 1993 NIH Revitalization Act explicitly >allows >NIH grantees to conduct research with fetal tissue, as long as the >work >adheres to certain standards. > >But now a group of lawmakers opposed to fetal tissue research has >convinced >Rep. Tom Bliley, R-VA, the chair of the House Commerce Committee, to >hold a >hearing into what they claim are unsavory and potentially illegal >practices >by certain private firms that obtain fetal tissue from abortion >clinics and >sell it to researchers. > >Lawmakers pushing for the hearings say what they simply want to know >is >whether any providers of fetal tissue have violated a component of the >law >forbidding them from seeking to profit on the transaction. The law >allows >that providers can recover the costs only, for example, of obtaining, >transporting and preserving the material. > >Last November, the House approved a resolution (H.Res. 350) brought >by, >among others, Reps. Thomas Tancredo, R-CO, and Chris Smith, >R-NJ--both >staunch opponents of fetal tissue research--which claimed private >companies >engaging in what Smith and Tancredo refer to as "trafficking in baby >body >parts" were circumventing the fetal tissue law's prohibition against >seeking excessive payments for their efforts. The resolution demands >that >Congress investigate. > >During the debate, Rep. Nita Lowey, D-NY, pointed out that in 1997 >the >General Accounting Office "investigated compliance with the detailed >federal regulations governing this research and the GAO found no >evidence >of wrongdoing or abuse." She also noted that while NIH is charged >with >overseeing compliance with the fetal tissue research law, "no member >of >Congress has called the NIH or requested in writing any >investigation." > >What some proponents of fetal tissue research--which is viewed by >scientists as having the potential to produce new therapies for >victims of >Alzheimer's and Parkinson's--fear is that the hearings could have a >chilling effect. An official with the Parkinson's Action Network said >the >organization believes if there are, in fact, "bad actors" they should >be >exposed, but it does not want the congressional action to end up >discouraging "what is currently a lawful practice." > >According to a source skeptical of the Republican allegations, >Democratic >staff working in preparation for Bliley's hearings believe they will >be >able to debunk most of the more sensational aspects of the charges >against >tissue providers. But this source said the concern is that the hearing >will >make scientists worry that, even if they carefully follow the >strictest of >standards, they still could be subjected to harassment. The other >concern, >this person said, is that legitimate tissue providers--particularly >nonprofits--will decide that the issue is too controversial and will >stop >supplying researchers. > >However, there is some indication that, in the Senate at least, >Congress >may be skeptical of placing new restrictions on researchers who work >with >fetal tissue. Last October, Sen. Bob Smith, R-NH, proposed an >amendment >(S.AMDT.2324) to legislation banning partial birth abortions that >would >have required scientists to file a range of information with the >government >about the origin of fetal tissue used in their research. The reports >were >to include, among other things, the "names, addresses and telephone >numbers" of any "entity" involved in procuring the tissue, the >abortion >procedure involved and the amount of money paid for the tissue. The >amendment was rejected 51-46. > >The potential of fetal tissue research to engender controversy was >demonstrated late last year in Nebraska, when anti-abortion groups >claimed >researchers at the University of Nebraska were conducting stem cell >research with fetal tissue obtained from a local abortion doctor >without >proper review. According to a recent article in Science magazine, the >charges prompted Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns and other state >officials >to demand that the university halt the work. > >The university has refused, claiming the experiments had complied >with >federal law and had been cleared by a special panel convened by the >school's Institutional Review Board. Science quoted a representative >from >the Washington-based Coalition for Traditional Values, a group opposed >to >fetal tissue research, claiming that the fight will move beyond >Nebraska. > >Fetal tissue research already is being used as a wedge issue in the >2000 >presidential campaign. The National Right to Life Committee is >attacking >John McCain for his vote in favor of fetal tissue research, claiming >it's >an indication that he is not sufficiently pro-life. The issue has >been >raised several times in the past two weeks during McCain's campaign >appearances in South Carolina. > >McCain said he originally voted to oppose fetal tissue research but >switched after watching his friend and fellow Arizonan Morris Udall >suffer >from Parkinson's. > >It was the potential to help people like Udall that galvanized the >Senate >to overwhelmingly support fetal issue research. Proponents of research >with >embryonic stem cells hope that people like paralysis victim >Christopher >Reeve can have a similar impact on their efforts, given the potential >stem >cells could have to relieve the suffering of spinal injury. Reeve is >scheduled to testify February 22 at a hearing on stem cells convened >by the >Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and >Related Agencies subcommittee. > >Television and movie star Michael J. Fox--who suffers from >Parkinson's--also had been invited to the hearing but will be unable >to >attend because of a work commitment. > >--Matthew Davis > >______________________________________________________________ >Compiled by Washington Fax: an Information Service of F-D-C Reports, >Inc. >Managing Editor: Shirley Haley >Phone: 508.999.6097 Fax: 508.994.9366 ^^^^^^ WARM GREETINGS FROM ^^^^^^^^^^^^ :-) Ivan Suzman 50/39/36 [log in to unmask] :-) Portland, Maine land of lighthouses deg. 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