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DeGette Pushes Stem Cell Research By Bill Scanlon, Rocky Mountain News April 29, 2004 Colorado Congresswoman Diana DeGette and a Republican colleague coaxed signatures from almost half of the U.S. House members urging President Bush to make more stem cell lines available for research into human diseases. "I think we have well over a majority of members who support expanding the lines," DeGette, a Democrat from Denver, said Wednesday following a news conference announcing the letter. Signatories totaled 206 of the 435 representatives. But DeGette noted that she and co-organizer Mike Castle, a Delaware Republican, got bipartisan participation - 36 signatures from GOP members. And another couple of dozen representatives told her that while they wouldn't sign the letter to Bush, they probably would vote to expand stem cell research, she said. "Usually, when you write a letter to the president asking him to change a policy, you get about 50 or 60 signatures," DeGette said. Among the Colorado delegation, Democrat Mark Udall and Republican Scott McInnis also signed the letter, DeGette said. DeGette credited the large number of signatures to every member of Congress having constituents whose loved ones could have been or could be helped by stem cell research. Also, in 2001, when Bush limited research to the existing lines, the assumption was there were 80 or so good ones. In fact, there were only t 19, and all are contaminated with mice "feeder" cells, raising questions about whether they ultimately would be practical in fighting human disease. "Now they're realizing that this restriction, which was political and not scientific, is actually thwarting research," DeGette said. Scientists can take stem cells from human embryos and develop them into brain cells or bone cells or a number of other different kinds of cells. They can be maintained in a tissue culture dish for many generations. They're especially promising in research into neurological diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Bush ordered that no research using new stem cell lines will be sponsored by the federal government. University of Colorado Parkinson's disease researcher Dr. Curt Freed said that a Harvard scientist recently isolated 17 new lines that aren't contaminated with mice feeder cells. But if Freed wanted to use those new lines, he'd have to start from scratch and re-equip his lab because the microscopes and other instruments were paid for by grants from the federal government, and their use would be prohibited in such research under Bush's ruling. The White House just got the letter Wednesday and has not responded. If Bush doesn't loosen restrictions, DeGette says she and Castle likely will introduce a bill. SOURCE: Rocky Mountain News, CO http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_2845716,00.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn