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Gore Plugs Stem-Cell Research, Gregoire, Ross By ELIZABETH M. GILLESPIE - ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER Friday, October 8, 2004 · Last updated 7:19 p.m. PT SEATTLE -- Former Vice President Al Gore touted the promise of stem-cell research for curing debilitating and deadly diseases on Friday - using his pitch to stump for fellow Democrats Christine Gregoire and Dave Ross. Gore and others on a panel steered clear of the moral question that underlies much conservative opposition to embryonic stem-cell research: the belief that life begins at conception and that human embryos should never be used to advance science. Instead, they argued that doctors and researchers should not be hindered from pursuing every opportunity to save lives. "To say that there's no way to approach it carefully and ethically is just nonsense," Gore said, sitting on a panel with Gregoire, Ross, two doctors, an ethicist and two men with degenerative illnesses who said they have been helped by medical advances. Gregoire, a three-term attorney general who's running for governor, and Ross, a longtime radio talk show host who's running for Congress, each said they strongly back embryonic stem-cell research. Gregoire called for creating a Washington Institute of Stem Cell Research, saying it would lead to dramatic medical advances while creating top-notch jobs. "We can literally create thousands of jobs as well as revolutionize health care for Washington state, for our nation and for that matter for the world," Gregoire said. Ross said he would work to unlock federal funding for new lines of stem cells. "You see seated before you on this panel some of the best scientists not only in the state but in the world. And what disturbs me is that we have right now in this particular area of research a situation where our government is telling them they can't do the best research," Ross said. Embryonic stem cells are master cells that form during the early days after conception and can turn into any tissue in the body. Many scientists hope to harness them one day to grow replacement tissue to treat spinal cord injuries as well as diabetes and other diseases. But because culling stem cells kills the embryo, President Bush signed an executive order in August 2001 limiting research to the existing lines. Mary Lane, campaign spokeswoman for GOP gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi, accused Gregoire of using stem-cell research as a political wedge issue. Leaders of Washington biotech industry have told Rossi they're not interested in a big state- funded push for stem-cell research. "That's not our niche," Lane said. "Our strengths lie in therapeutics and diagnostics." Ross' opponent, King County Sheriff Dave Reichert, has said he supports adult stem-cell research but shares the president's moral concerns about using embryos for medical research. Private labs that don't rely on federal funding for their research have continued to run studies on new embryonic stem-cell lines without any oversight, said panelist Anna Mastroianni, an assistant professor of health law and bioethics at the University of Washington School of Law. "We will be much better served with the accountability that will come with public funding than if we leave the research to the private sector," Mastroianni said. Two people on the panel said their lives have been lengthened by medical advances and questioned why anyone wouldn't support research that could make them healthier yet. When Dennis Wright was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 12 years ago, doctors told him they could do nothing to halt the progress of the degenerative disease. Then, two years ago, he had tiny devices called deep brain stimulators implanted in his brain, "which is why I can be talking to you today and not flailing around," said Wright, 52, of Issaquah. Alex Goldberg, 20, has cardiomyopathy, a condition that inflames the heart muscle. He's working on a documentary about stem-cell research. One of his subjects is fellow panelist, Dr. Chuck Murry, a UW pathology professor who's researching how stem cells might help the heart regenerate tissue. After the hourlong panel, Goldberg got a hearty handshake from Gore, who told him, "You're going to be the Michael Moore of stem cells!" --- On the Net: Christine Gregoire: http://www.gregoire2004.com/ Dave Ross: http://www.dinorossi.com/ Dino Rossi: http://www.dinorossi.com/ Dave Reichert: http://www.davereichertforcongress.com SOURCE: Seattle Post Intelligencer, WA http://tinyurl.com/4yllj * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn