Hi Linda and may I have everyone's attention please?
Firstly... Thankew Linda for confirming my "worries"....
Now.. What can we do about questionable Stem Cell "Headlines"?
The real question is.... Do the politicos know this? Does Dubya know
this? Is anybody gonna tell 'em? Will they listen? Has the damage
already been done?
I guess we can assume the politicos don't know.... So, let's tell 'em!
I think we can also assume George W is not apprised of this situation
either..... So, let's tell him!
Is anybody gonna tell 'em.... Yes! Let's ALL tell 'em! All of 'em!
I urge all of you that live in the US to write your representitive and
senator and tell them!! Contact the White House and tell 'em!!
United States House of Representatives
Washington D.C. 20515
(202) 224-3121
http://www.house.gov/
Scroll down to:
Write Your Representative
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
The U.S. House of Representatives
Locate Representatives' Web Sites Listed by Name
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.html
Connect with your senators
http://www.senate.gov/
Contacting Your Senator
http://www.senate.gov/contacting/index.cfm
Contacting the White House
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Will they listen..... They won't hear a thing if we don't tell 'em!!!
Has the damage already been done.... Probably!!
Can we reverse it?? YES!! But, EACH of us has to get off our shakey
butts and WRITE to those representing us!!
WRITE and get 5 relatives / friends to write....
10,000 letters will get someone's attention...
10,000 e-mails won't!
United Kingdom Parliament
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/
Government of Canada - Directory
Are you looking for Government of Canada information?
A Member of Parliament, Member of the Senate, or a public servant?
An Internet address? This is the place.
http://canada.gc.ca/directories/direct_e.html
Lastly... if anyone needs help WRITING a letter....
Please ask on the List.... We have some very capable writers and I'm sure
some of them will assist....
Best regards ........ murray
On 20 May 2001, at 20:30, Linda J Herman wrote:
> Murray Charters wrote:
> >>I worry that far too much weight may be given to the media and
> questionable Stem Cell "Headlines"....>>
> >>I worry that opponents of embryonic stem cell research will cite these
> or similar "media headlines" with adult cells to support their position.
> I worry that politicians will also see similar "media headlines" with
> adult cells as justification for banning embryonic stem cell research.>>
>
> I agree with Murray and this his worries are exactly what is happening.
> The scientific facts are not getting to the public or to those who are
> making the funding decisions, due to inaccurate, hyped media reports and
> special interest groups PR.
>
> An example:
> The famous "stem cells from liposuction fat study. The original journal
> article, "Multilineage cells from human adipose tissue: implications
> for cell-based therapies" appeared in "Tissue Engineering" 2001 April7
> (2) 211-28. (available online) The journal article reported that the
> treated fat cells were differentiated in vitro into adipogenic (fat),
> chonodrogenic (cartlige), myogenic (muscle) and osteogenic (bone) stems
> cells. There is no mention of any application to PD treatment, or to
> nerve cells or any other neurological disease. (Capital letters added by
> me) The conclusion stated: "These arguments provide support for the
> presence of a multipotent stem cell population within liposuctioned
> adipose tissue; HOWEVER, definitive confirmation requires the isolation
> and characterization of multiple clones derived from a single cell.
> PRELIMINARY data confirm that clonal PLA cell populations possess
> multilineage potential, capable of adipogenic, osteogenic, and
> chondrogenic differentiation. ALTHOUGH promising, isolation and analysis
> of multiple PLA cell clones will be required to confirm the presence of
> a stem cell population within liposuctioned adipose tissue. The future
> of engineering mesodermally derived tissues from stem cells is promising
> and the develop-ment of these strategies will likely require a readily
> available source of donor cells. Current research has demonstrated
> exciting results using bone marrow-derived MSCs. MSCs can differentiate
> into osteogenic and chondrogenic tissues in vivo,and PRELIMINARY data
> SUGGEST that these cells can be used to repair bony and cartilagenous
> defects.We believe that PLA cells obtained from liposuctioned adipose
> tissue MAY represent another source of multilineage mesodermal stem
> cells. .."
>
> -- promising data, but preliminary, and no mention of use for treating
> PD
>
> Later that month: the catchy headlines in a U.S. News and World Report
> article: "Therapy by the pound. Human fat is a source of coveted stem
> cells" (April 23, 2001 p. 54) It begins: "Turning beer bellies into
> six-packs requires sweat and painful sacrifice. Or so we're told. But
> scientists now claim to have subbed petri dishes for StairMasters,
> transforming cells from unwanted fat into muscle, cartilage, and bone.
> The discovery suggests that fat may be a rich source of so-called stem
> cells--unspecialized primordial cells that can be coaxed into becoming
> any number of tissue types. The procedure could offer a potential
> treatment for broken bones, damaged joints, and even life-threatening
> neurological disorders like Parkinson's disease. "
>
> NOTE again - the use of these cells for PD or any other neurological
> condition was not mentioned in the original report of the research
> study.
>
> Four days later, the Wall St. Journal reports:
> " Grass-roots organizer Molly Naylor supports research into embryonic
> stem cells, hoping that it may lead to a cure for the juvenile
> diabetes that afflicts her son. But when she called the White House to
> support stem-cell studies, she was surprised to hear that the
> embryonic research might not be necessary.
> She says the White House told her about a widely publicized study
> showing that human fat may also contain stem cells."
> ("Scientists Say Embryo Research Is Needed Despite Fat Finding
> By Antonio Regalado 04/27/2001, The Wall Street Journal
> Page B1)
>
> AND in a press release from :Concerned Women for America (a group
> opposed to embryonic stem cell research:)
>
> Embryonic Stem Cell Research On Hold; Judge Rules Controversial
> Guidelines Must Be Reviewed Before Public Funding is Approved
> WASHINGTON, May 11 /U.S. Newswire/ -
>
> "Concerned Women for America urges the American people and the
> scientific community to turn their attention to adult stem cell
> research. Adult stem cells have been successful in clinical
> applications, providing a viable and ethical alternative to embryonic
> stem cells....Research on adult stem cells is more advanced and more
> promising..."
> http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/Current_Releases/0511-121.html (MY
> NOTE: US Newswire is not really a news wire (like AP or UPI) - it is a
> public relations service that issue press releases written by the
> companies or organizations themselves)
>
> What clinical trials are they talking about? How did they reach their
> conclusion that" Research on adult stem cells is more advanced and more
> promising..." And how many people will read "news" stories like these
> and accept them as fact?
>
> Linda Herman
>
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