Return-Path: <[log in to unmask]>
Received: from rly-xb03.mx.aol.com (rly-xb03.mail.aol.com [172.20.105.104]) by air-xb01.mail.aol.com (v77_r1.21) with ESMTP; Wed, 14 Mar 2001 13:05:46 -0500
Received: from barry.mail.mindspring.net (barry.mail.mindspring.net [207.69.200.25]) by rly-xb03.mx.aol.com (v77_r1.21) with ESMTP; Wed, 14 Mar 2001 13:05:08 -0500
Received: from j28310b (user-2ivec3m.dialup.mindspring.com [165.247.48.118])
by barry.mail.mindspring.net (8.9.3/8.8.5) with SMTP id NAA25822
for <[log in to unmask]>; Wed, 14 Mar 2001 13:05:02 -0500 (EST)
Message-ID: <001e01c0acb1$559b3dc0$0217fea9@j28310b>
From: "Renay Crooms" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: PDF's Fetal Cell Transplantation Statement
Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 13:04:54 -0500
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
boundary="----=_NextPart_000_001B_01C0AC87.5CDCA3A0"
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2615.200
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2615.200
------=_NextPart_000_001B_01C0AC87.5CDCA3A0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
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 following 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.
Robin Anthony Elliott
Executive Director
=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 Parkin=
son's research undertaken by scientists at the University of Colorado and Co=
lumbia University and published by the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM=
). The subject was the first double-blind study to determine whether fetal=20=
cell transplants can be effective in restoring dopamine function and help pa=
tients. What they found was that the benefits were meager and the adverse e=
ffects, serious. These results are disappointing to the million or more Ame=
ricans and their families who live with Parkinson's disease. But the report=
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=
the function of the implanted cells in such a way as to keep them from over=
producing certain chemicals that trigger disturbing involuntary movements --=
itself presents a challenge to scientists to design new studies of stem cel=
l biology. These studies should initially be conducted in animals, not in h=
uman beings. =20
Third, we must remind ourselves that the process of scientific inquiry is a=
investigative journey, not a sure destination. Successes are always more w=
elcome than setbacks, such as this one, but even setbacks carry crucial less=
ons for future investigation. =20
Fourth, and this point is especially important for people with Parkinson's,=
cell transplantation of this kind is only one of several promising avenues=20=
for new approaches to Parkinson's therapy. Others include gene therapy, th=
e study of environmental toxins, the investigation of genes associated with=20=
Parkinson's, and the potential of pluripotent stem cells. =20
Finally, and most important, reports such as this one show how vital it is=20=
that we continue to explore and support research into the causes and cure of=
Parkinson's, through basic science and through clinical studies. The path=20=
of any campaign is inevitably strewn with surprises, not all of them good. =20=
Our posture when a bump in the road is encountered must be to keep our eye o=
n the goal: improving scientific understanding of the processes that lead to=
Parkinson's and exploring therapies that have promise to arrest, relieve an=
d perhaps even anticipate the disease. As Drs. Gerald Fischbach and Guy McK=
hann (respectively, the former Director and the current clinical director of=
the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke), wrote in an e=
ditorial that appeared in the same edition of the NEJM: "The brain is a most=
complex structure, so incremental results on the way to cures should are to=
be welcomed rather than dismissed as less than perfect."
At the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, in behalf of our community of people=
with Parkinson's, this continuing commitment to research of the highest cal=
iber will remain our beacon and our resolve. =20
=20
Lewis P. Rowland, M.D., President =20
------=_NextPart_000_001B_01C0AC87.5CDCA3A0
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<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 following 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><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Robin Anthony Elliott</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Executive Director</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<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> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN >New York, March 8 -- Newspap=
ers today covered an=20
important report on Parkinson’s research undertaken by scientists at t=
he=20
University of Colorado and Columbia University and published by the New Engl=
and=20
Journal of Medicine (NEJM).<SPAN> </SPAN>The=20
subject was the first double-blind study to determine whether fetal cell=20
transplants can be effective in restoring dopamine function and help=20
patients.<SPAN> </SPAN>What they found was that=20
the benefits were meager and the adverse effects, serious.<SPAN > </S=
PAN>These results are disappointing to the=20
million or more Americans and their families who live with Parkinson’s=
=20
disease.<SPAN> </SPAN>But the report needs to be=20
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> </SPAN><SPAN >Second, the most alarming fi=
nding -- the inability of=20
scientists to control the function of the implanted cells in such a way as t=
o=20
keep them from overproducing certain chemicals that trigger disturbing=20
involuntary movements -- itself presents a challenge to scientists to design=
new=20
studies of stem cell biology.<SPAN> </SPAN>These=20
studies should initially be conducted in animals, not in human beings.<SPAN=20=
> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN >Third, we must remind oursel=
ves that the process of=20
scientific inquiry is a investigative journey, not a sure destination.<SPAN=20=
> </SPAN>Successes are always more welcome than=20
setbacks, such as this one, but even setbacks carry crucial lessons for futu=
re=20
investigation.<SPAN> =20
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN >Fourth, and this point is es=
pecially important for=20
people with Parkinson’s, cell transplantation of this kind is only one=
of=20
several promising avenues for new approaches to Parkinson’s therapy.<S=
PAN > </SPAN>Others include gene therapy, the=20
study of environmental toxins, the investigation of genes associated with=20
Parkinson’s, and the potential of pluripotent stem cells.<SPAN > =
; </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN >Finally, and most important,=
reports such as this one=20
show how vital it is that we continue to explore and support research into t=
he=20
causes and cure of Parkinson’s, through basic science and through clin=
ical=20
studies.<SPAN> </SPAN>The path of any campaign=20
is inevitably strewn with surprises, not all of them good.<SPAN > </S=
PAN>Our posture when a bump in the road is=20
encountered must be to keep our eye on the goal: improving scientific=20
understanding of the processes that lead to Parkinson’s and exploring=20=
therapies=20
that have promise to arrest, relieve and perhaps even anticipate the=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> </SPAN><SPAN >At the Parkinson’s Dis=
ease Foundation, in behalf of our=20
community of people with Parkinson’s, this continuing commitment to re=
search of=20
the highest caliber will remain our beacon and our resolve.<SPAN > </=
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></BODY></HTML>
------=_NextPart_000_001B_01C0AC87.5CDCA3A0--
