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Dear Ray, I appreciate your response to my post. I know that you have been very active in your efforts to inform the public of the science involved in SCNT. I have read so much on this subject and know that it is a very complicated issue and even those of us who are so closely affected by its outcome still need to go back and refresh the details from time to time. No wonder the general public is having a hard time devoting enough attention to it or understanding its importance. The latest explanation on this that I've come across is an interview with Irving Weissman for the Lasker Foundation. As head of the National Academy's panel, he explains the the field of transplantation research and therapeutic cloning. He outlines the processes involved and makes it clear why this technique does not involve human cloning. He also explains why we need a diverse line of stem cells (as opposed to the 60 (but, in fact, 10 or 12) that President Bush has said may be funded. He goes on to say that even many in the biomedical field do not understand the kinds of concrete and important medical research opportunities in this area. I did not intend to get into this discussion to this extent here on the List. Rather, I have tried to be active in calling my Senators and Representatives and the White House when there has been an important vote on Bills related to this issue. I attended the PAN forum in Washington this spring and visited my state's legislator's offices to ask that they fund the NIH and raise their allocations for research on Parkinson's disease. But, now when the United States goes to the UN and votes for a TOTAL ban on cloning research I am beginning to wonder who is listening to me and who is representing me. Sorry to go on for so long. I don't want to become harpish but have to let off some steam from time to time and hope that at least I've added to the awareness of the importance of this issue. Ray. You're in my heart. I think of you and pray for you often. Dee ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn