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NEWS RELEASE Governor James E. McGreevey August 9, 2004 FOR MORE INFORMATION: Micah Rasmussen - 609-777-2600 McGREEVEY LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH ON ANNIVERSARY OF STEM CELL BAN (TRENTON)-Governor James E. McGreevey sent a letter today to President George W. Bush, recognizing the third anniversary of the President's ban on Federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research and urging the President to modify his policy on that research. The text of the letter is below. August 9, 2004 The Honorable George W. Bush President of the United States The White House Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President, Today marks the third anniversary of your August 9, 2001 decision to ban federal funding for any new lines of human embryonic stem cells. This issue has come a long way in three years. Just last month a team of scientists at Cambridge University in England announced an ambitious five-year goal: A treatment for Parkinson's disease, based on stem cell research that will be funded in part by the U.K. Medical Research Council. The director of this effort in England is Professor Roger Pedersen - an American and a leading stem cell researcher who left the United States specifically because of the restrictions you imposed in 2001. How many brilliant scientists will our great Nation lose under your ban on funding for this research? On the third anniversary of your decision I urge you, as I did in March: Please modify your Administration's restrictions. Please allow America's talented researchers the chance to perform this groundbreaking research here, in the United States. In June, President Ronald Reagan's long battle with Alzheimer's disease finally ended, and he now rests in peace. His death reminds us all that thousands of individuals suffer from this cruel disease and from other degenerative disorders. Thousands of families suffer with them. While we mourn and honor President Reagan we must keep in mind the words of his gracious widow, who has declared her determination to "do whatever I can to save other families from this pain." Your policy does allow Federal funding for research using stem cell lines that were developed before August 9, 2001. This was offered as a compromise, but functions as little more than an outright ban on human embryonic stem cell research. Some of the existing lines turned out to be unsuitable for medical research. The rest will not be adequate to help scientists develop the possibilities in the battle against disease and disability. Very recently, Dr. Douglas Melton of Harvard University developed 17 promising new stem cell lines - but, due to your Administration's restrictions, these lines are available to only a small number of researchers. Dr. Melton's stem cell line is available only to scientists who work with private money, and he is providing those cells free of charge. Researchers must pay at least $5,000 for the cells your Administration currently approves. In the absence of a realistic Federal policy, the burden of action has fallen on the shoulders of the States and industry. I'm proud to say New Jersey has taken action with unmatched energy and compassion. In January New Jersey became the second State in the nation to legalize stem cell research. Our law prohibits human cloning but allows new cell lines to be developed, enabling scientists to pursue a full range of research. And now New Jersey is doing what no State has done - we are investing State funds to build the New Jersey Stem Cell Institute as a joint project with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and Rutgers University. With $9.5 million invested from this year's State budget, we will begin recruiting top scientists from around the world. But New Jersey and the other States that are supporting stem cell research cannot do it alone. This research must become a national priority. Federal resources are essential if we are to fulfill the promise of treatments and cures for the most confounding medical problems. Your Administration does appear to be responding to criticism about its restrictive policy. But the responses we have seen do not go far enough. On July 14, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson wrote to House Speaker Dennis Hastert about plans to supplement the use of pre-August 9, 2001 stem cell lines. Secretary Thompson wrote, "Before anyone can successfully argue that the stem cell policy should be broadened, we must first exhaust the potential" of these existing lines. I welcome this initiative, but it is not sufficient. The Federal government is still banned from supporting the development of new cells that would be used in advanced research. Progress is inevitable. Already, the work of Dr. Wise Young from Rutgers University on spinal cord injuries is a source of inspiration and hope to families across the world. Dr. Ira Black of UMDNJ has proved for the first time that mature stem cells taken from bone marrow can be implanted in a developing brain, eventually changing into healthy brain cells. Both of these pioneers will be guiding the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey. But, as President Reagan's death has made real to so many Americans, we do not have the luxury of time. People are suffering tremendously. Loved ones are dying. I urge you to change your policy and free up Federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research. America and the world are waiting for this help. With all good wishes, JAMES E. McGREEVEY Governor of New Jersey ### http://www.nj.gov/cgi-bin/governor/njnewsline/view_article.pl?id=2090 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn