Note below that Elisabeth Bresee Brittin, executive director of the
Parkinson's Action Network is
now also treasurer of CAMR.
Their website is www.stemcellfunding.org
Most of the stuff on the web site is old, hopefully it will be updated
soon - but it's a good source for people who want to learn about has
happened so far , and about the importance of grass roots political
advocacy for stem cell research funding.
Linda
FROM:
The Washington Post
January 10, 2002, Thursday, Final Edition
SECTION: A SECTION; Pg. A17; SPECIAL INTERESTS JUDY SARASOHN
HEADLINE: New Officers in the Stem-Cell Division
BYLINE: Judy Sarasohn
After a big debut last year in the fight to save stem cell research,
the
Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research -- CAMR -- has new
officers
and a group of some 60 member-organizations that won't let go of the
issue this
year.
Michael Manganiello, senior vice president and director of government
relations for the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, takes over as
president of CAMR, succeeding Larry Soler of the Juvenile Diabetes
Research
Foundation. Elisabeth Bresee Brittin of the Parkinson's Action Network is
treasurer, and Kevin Wilson of the American Society for Cell Biology is
secretary.
The coalition also includes such groups as the ALS Association, the
Juvenile
Diabetes Research Foundation International, the American Diabetes
Association,
the American Pediatric Society, Cedars-Sinai Health System, Duke
University
Medical Center, John Hopkins Medicine and the University of Michigan.
Manganiello said the member-organizations, particularly the patient
groups,
aggressively lobbied lawmakers and the administration to prevent an
outright ban
on stem cell research. He noted that President Bush's first prime-time
presidential address was on his decision to allow federal funding for
limited
stem cell research.
"We take a lot of credit" for that, Manganiello said.
Stem cells can develop into other types of tissue, which scientists
believe
could create new treatments for diabetes, ALS, Alzheimer's disease and
other
devastating afflictions. They believe that stem cells from embryos are
more
promising than similar cells in some adult tissues. Bush's decision
limits
federal funds to studies on stem cells in existing colonies, or "lines."
Manganiello said that the coalition is in the process of determining
its
agenda for the year but that it will surely include monitoring of the
implementation of the policy and fighting to expand funding.
Congress is expected to take up cloning legislation this year that may
have
an impact on stem cell research.
"Our scientists are concerned that there are not enough lines to do
basic
research," he said.
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