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From: "Renay Crooms" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Fw: PDF"s Fetal Cell Transplantation Statement for the Listserv
Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 17:29:31 -0500
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----- Original Message -----=20
From: Renay Crooms=20
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2001 5:28 PM
Subject: PDF"s Fetal Cell Transplantation Statement for the Listserv
Mary,
As I said in the answering service message I left you this evening, I simpl=
y can not seem to gain access to the Listserv. Would you please post the f=
ollowing message to the Parkinson's Listserv for me.
I will call you tomorrow morning.
Thanks.
Renay
To the Listserv,
Many of you will already have read or heard about the new research report on=
fetal cell transplantation that appeared in the March 8th edition of the pr=
estigious New England Journal of Medicine.
The disappointing findings, aggravated by the negative tone of some of the n=
ews reports (including the article that appeared in The New York Times on Ma=
rch 8th) will be upsetting to many in our constituency. Dr. Rowland, Presid=
ent of the PDF's Board of Directors, and I thought our Foundation could make=
a contribution by giving folks some more positive and complete context in w=
hich to read these disappointing findings. Hence the attached statement.
The fetal cell transplantation news release statement will also be listed on=
our website: www.pdf.org.
Please call the Parkinson's Disease Foundation at 1-800-457-6676 with any qu=
estions.
=20
Report of a Study of Fetal Cell Transplantation for Severe Parkinson's Disea=
se:
A Statement by the Parkinson's Disease Foundation=20
=20
New York, March 8 -- Newspapers today covered an important report on Parkins=
on's research undertaken by scientists at the University of Colorado and Col=
umbia University and published by the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)=
. The subject was the first double-blind study to determine whether fetal c=
ell transplants can be effective in restoring dopamine function and help pat=
ients. What they found was that the benefits were meager and the adverse ef=
fects, serious. These results are disappointing to the million or more Amer=
icans and their families who live with Parkinson's disease. But the report=20=
needs to be seen in context.
First, while the study clearly shows that this technique is not ready for w=
idespread adoption at this time, it does reveal some useful clues for future=
research -- including the finding that dopamine cells can take root, surviv=
e and function following a transplant. This finding is important to our ove=
rall understanding of the potential for regeneration of damaged dopamine-pro=
ducing systems and has implications for future research. =20
Second, the most alarming finding -- the inability of scientists to control=20=
the function of the implanted cells in such a way as to keep them from overp=
roducing certain chemicals that trigger disturbing involuntary movements --=20=
itself presents a challenge to scientists to design new studies of stem cell=
biology. These studies should initially be conducted in animals, not in hu=
man beings. =20
Third, we must remind ourselves that the process of scientific inquiry is a=20=
investigative journey, not a sure destination. Successes are always more we=
lcome than setbacks, such as this one, but even setbacks carry crucial lesso=
ns for future investigation. =20
Fourth, and this point is especially important for people with Parkinson's,=20=
cell transplantation of this kind is only one of several promising avenues f=
or new approaches to Parkinson's therapy. Others include gene therapy, the=
study of environmental toxins, the investigation of genes associated with P=
arkinson's, and the potential of pluripotent stem cells. =20
Finally, and most important, reports such as this one show how vital it is t=
hat we continue to explore and support research into the causes and cure of=20=
Parkinson's, through basic science and through clinical studies. The path o=
f any campaign is inevitably strewn with surprises, not all of them good. O=
ur posture when a bump in the road is encountered must be to keep our eye on=
the goal: improving scientific understanding of the processes that lead to=20=
Parkinson's and exploring therapies that have promise to arrest, relieve and=
perhaps even anticipate the disease. As Drs. Gerald Fischbach and Guy McKh=
ann (respectively, the former Director and the current clinical director of=20=
the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke), wrote in an ed=
itorial that appeared in the same edition of the NEJM: "The brain is a most=20=
complex structure, so incremental results on the way to cures should are to=20=
be welcomed rather than dismissed as less than perfect."
At the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, in behalf of our community of people=20=
with Parkinson's, this continuing commitment to research of the highest cali=
ber will remain our beacon and our resolve. =20
=20
Lewis P. Rowland, M.D., President =20
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<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message -----=20
<DIV><B>From:</B> <A href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]" [log in to unmask]
rg>Renay Crooms</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]" [log in to unmask]
om>[log in to unmask]</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, March 13, 2001 5:28 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> PDF"s Fetal Cell Transplantation Statement for the=20
Listserv</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Mary,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As I said in the answering service message=20=
I left=20
you this evening, I simply can not seem to gain access to the=20
Listserv. Would you please post the following message to the=20
Parkinson's Listserv for me.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I will call you tomorrow morning.</FONT></D=
IV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thanks.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Renay</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>To the Listserv,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Many of you will already have read or heard=
about=20
the new research report on fetal cell transplantation that appeared in the M=
arch=20
8th edition of the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The disappointing findings, aggravated by t=
he=20
negative tone of some of the news reports (including the article that appear=
ed=20
in The New York Times on March 8th) will be upsetting to many in our=20
constituency. Dr. Rowland, President of the PDF's Board of Directors,=20=
and=20
I thought our Foundation could make a contribution by giving folks some more=
=20
positive and complete context in which to read these disappointing=20
findings. Hence the attached statement.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The fetal cell transplantation news release=
=20
statement will also be listed on our website: <A href=3D"http://www.pdf.or=
g">www.pdf.org</A>.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Please call the Parkinson's Disease Foundat=
ion at=20
1-800-457-6676 with any questions.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> =20
<DIV class=3DSection1>
<P align=3Dcenter class=3DMsoNormal><B><SPAN >Report of a Study of Fetal Ce=
ll Transplantation for=20
Severe Parkinson’s Disease:</SPAN></B><SPAN ><?xml:namespace prefix=20=
=3D o ns =3D "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN=
></P>
<P align=3Dcenter class=3DMsoNormal><B><SPAN >A Statement by the Parkinson&=
#8217;s Disease Foundation=20
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN > <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN>New York, March 8 -- Newspapers=20
today covered an important report on Parkinson’s research undertaken b=
y=20
scientists at the University of Colorado and Columbia University and publish=
ed=20
by the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).<SPAN > </SPAN>The subj=
ect was the first double-blind=20
study to determine whether fetal cell transplants can be effective in restor=
ing=20
dopamine function and help patients.<SPAN> =20
</SPAN>What they found was that the benefits were meager and the adverse=20
effects, serious.<SPAN> </SPAN>These results are=20
disappointing to the million or more Americans and their families who live w=
ith=20
Parkinson’s disease.<SPAN> </SPAN>But the report=20
needs to be seen in context.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN >First, while the study clear=
ly shows that this technique=20
is not ready for widespread adoption at this time, it does reveal some usefu=
l=20
clues for future research -- including the finding that dopamine cells can t=
ake=20
root, survive and function following a transplant.<SPAN > </SPAN>This=
finding is important to our overall=20
understanding of the potential for regeneration of damaged dopamine-producin=
g=20
systems and has implications for future research.<SPAN > </SPAN><o:p>=
</o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN>Second, the most alarming=20
finding -- the inability of scientists to control the function of the implan=
ted=20
cells in such a way as to keep them from overproducing certain chemicals tha=
t=20
trigger disturbing involuntary movements -- itself presents a challenge to=20
scientists to design new studies of stem cell biology.<SPAN > </SPAN>=
These studies should initially be=20
conducted in animals, not in human beings.<SPAN > </SPAN><o:p><=
/o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN>Third, we must remind ourselves=20
that the process of scientific inquiry is a investigative journey, not a sur=
e=20
destination.<SPAN> </SPAN>Successes are always=20
more welcome than setbacks, such as this one, but even setbacks carry crucia=
l=20
lessons for future investigation.<SPAN> =20
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN>Fourth, and this point is=20
especially important for people with Parkinson’s, cell transplantation=
of this=20
kind is only one of several promising avenues for new approaches to Parkinso=
n’s=20
therapy.<SPAN> </SPAN>Others include gene=20
therapy, the study of environmental toxins, the investigation of genes=20
associated with Parkinson’s, and the potential of pluripotent stem cel=
ls.<SPAN > </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN>Finally, and most important,=20
reports such as this one show how vital it is that we continue to explore an=
d=20
support research into the causes and cure of Parkinson’s, through basi=
c science=20
and through clinical studies.<SPAN> </SPAN>The=20
path of any campaign is inevitably strewn with surprises, not all of them=20
good.<SPAN> </SPAN>Our posture when a bump in=20
the road is encountered must be to keep our eye on the goal: improving=20
scientific understanding of the processes that lead to Parkinson’s and=
exploring=20
therapies that have promise to arrest, relieve and perhaps even anticipate t=
he=20
disease.<SPAN> </SPAN>As Drs. Gerald Fischbach=20
and Guy McKhann (respectively, the former Director and the current clinical=20
director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke), wr=
ote=20
in an editorial that appeared in the same edition of the NEJM: “The br=
ain is a=20
most complex structure, so incremental results on the way to cures should ar=
e to=20
be welcomed rather than dismissed as less than perfect.”<o:p></o:p></S=
PAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN>At the Parkinson’s Disease=20
Foundation, in behalf of our community of people with Parkinson’s, thi=
s=20
continuing commitment to research of the highest caliber will remain our bea=
con=20
and our resolve.<SPAN> =20
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN>Lewis P. Rowland, M.D.,=20
President<SPAN> =20
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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