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> Thank you Murray, perhaps more energy should be spent heading in a direction > that all can agree on. Time and effort is really wasted on both sides > throwing stones at the president and making him the center of all evil. It > may make you feel good but it accomplishes very little. That is a mistake > that is to often reflected in this group. > > Statements and political stands are made that polarize people instead of > uniting them and finding common ground. Real gains in science and in the > betterment of human life have always been made through compromise, common > ground and innovative thinking. War is the ultimate end result of failure > to find common ground, compromise and respect for others opinions and > beliefs. > > History has shown us that when one path is closed you have a binary decision > to make, stand there and complain or find another path. Those that find > that other path and concentrate their energy on finding the way tend to > succeed. Thank goodness there are other paths to follow and those who > consider our plight and not politics take honest and earnest efforts to > continue to look for a cure. Let's give them equal backing. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Murray Charters" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 9:49 PM > Subject: Scientists, Patients, Promote Alternatives To Embryonic Stem Cells > > > > Scientists, patients, promote alternatives to embryonic stem cells > > > > By JIM ABRAMS > > The Associated Press > > 6/12/03 5:46 PM > > > > WASHINGTON (AP) -- Scientists told a Senate panel Thursday that > alternatives to human embryonic stem cells, including > > adult stem cell treatment and umbilical cord blood transplants, have had > proven success in helping people with > > crippling and ordinarily fatal diseases. > > > > "There is abundant evidence that adult stem cells can be used as a therapy > and are readily available in people," Dr. > > Jean Peduzzi-Nelson of the University of Alabama at Birmingham told the > Senate Commerce science subcommittee. "The > > conclusion from the preclinical studies is that adult stem cells work just > as well, if not better, than embryonic stem > > cells and are probably safer." > > > > The hearing was lead by subcommittee chairman Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., > who has questioned the ethical propriety and > > the necessity of embryonic stem cell research. > > > > President Bush also opposes using human embryonic stem cells in medical > research for a wide range of neurological and > > genetic diseases because it involves the death of an embryo, and the Bush > administration has put in place strict > > guidelines controlling the use of federal dollars for embryonic stem cell > research. > > > > Brownback trumpeted the "amazing results" from alternative methods, > inviting to the witness stand 17-year-old Keone > > Penn of Snellville, Ga., who five years ago became one of the first to be > successfully treated for sickle cell anemia > > with unrelated umbilical cord blood stem cells. > > > > Penn was treated at the National Cord Blood Program at the New York Blood > Center, whose director, Dr. Pablo Rubinstein, > > said cord blood banks have provided transplants for more than 3,500 > patients worldwide, and 1,370 at his center. > > > > He said blood left behind in the placenta and umbilical cord after birth > and usually discarded has resulted in less > > immune reactions, greater availability in less time and less risk of virus > infection. > > > > Brownback promised to push for federal funds for a national cord blood > bank system. > > > > Dr. David Hess, head of the neurology department at the Medical College of > Georgia, cited the advantages of obtaining > > adult stem cells from bone marrow, saying they are easily isolated, will > not be rejected by the patient from which they > > are taken and avoid the ethical concerns of embryonic stem cells. "The > field is moving fast. Bone marrow derived stem > > cells are already being tested in small numbers of patients with heart > attacks." > > > > Proponents of embryonic stem cells say they have greater potential for > regenerative medicine because they are less > > developed than adult cells and thus can more easily be cultured into new > tissue that can be used to replace or repair > > diseased organs. > > > > Peduzzi-Nelson, however, cited studies that adult stem cells from the > brain, the upper nose, the cornea and other parts > > of the eye, teeth and skin are capable of forming neurons. > > > > One witness, Dr. John McDonald of the Washington University School of > Medicine neurology department, stressed that no > > research door, including that leading to embryonic stem cell research, > should be closed. > > > > Because of their less formed state, it's "much more feasible to try to > encourage embryonic stem cells to develop into > > whichever type of cell is needed," he said. "It's entirely too early to > rule out any one of these areas of research in > > favor of any other." > > > > ------ > > > > On the Net: Brownback: http://brownback.senate.gov/ > > > > SOURCE: NewsFlash / Associated Press > > > http://www.nj.com/newsflash/washington/index.ssf?/base/politics-0/1055455447145030.xml > > > > * * * > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn