--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research"
<[log in to unmask]>
Action Alert!
CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT FOR EXPANDING CURRENT
FEDERAL STEM CELL POLICY NEEDED
VOTE EXPECTED SOON!
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TODAY!
Urge him/her to support expanding the current stem cell policy.
Ask to meet with your Rep. in his/her District Office asap.
Human embryonic stem cells have the potential to treat and better
understand the deadly and disabling diseases and afflictions that affect
more than 100 million Americans, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes,
Parkinson's, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and many
others.
However, the current federal policy for funding research on embryonic
stem cells is extremely limited and restrictive. The Republican
leadership in the House of Representatives has agreed to schedule a vote
on expanding the current policy. This will take place very soon – likely
before the end of May.
Your Representative must hear from you today urging her/him to support
expansion of the current policy. HR 810, the “Stem Cell Research
Enhancement Act of 2005” introduced by Representatives Mike Castle (R-DE)
and Diana DeGette (D-CO) is a bill that would expand the current policy.
When President Bush announced his stem cell policy in August 2001, we did
not foresee how limiting and restrictive that policy would be. Tell your
Representative the challenges with the current policy are the following:
While it originally appeared that 78 embryonic stem cell lines would be
available for research under the federal policy, now, nearly four years
after August 9, 2001, only 22 are available to researchers.
All of those lines are contaminated with mouse feeder cells, making their
therapeutic use for humans uncertain.
Scientists are reporting that it is increasingly difficult to attract new
scientists to this area of research because of concerns that funding
restrictions will keep this research from being successful.
This promising field of research is moving overseas. Other countries such
as the United Kingdom, Singapore, Israel, Sweden, and Australia, have
more supportive stem cell research policies and we have already seen some
of our own scientists move abroad to pursue this research.
PLEASE CALL, EMAIL OR FAX your Member of Congress TODAY. Make the case
for expanding the current federal stem cell policy. Also, please call
your Representative’s District Office and arrange to meet with your
Congressperson in the District as soon as possible.
Points to include in your message:
** Note: If you call, ask for the health aide, and if the aide is not
there, leave a detailed voicemail for him/her and request a return call.
Try to avoid leaving a message with the front desk.
As a constituent, I am calling to urge Representative _______ to support
H.R. 810, the “Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005” introduced by
Representatives Castle and DeGette. The House of Representatives will be
voting on this bill in the next few weeks.
This bill would expand the current federal policy on embryonic stem cell
research to allow for federal funding on stem cell lines that meet clear
ethical guidelines, which is needed for scientists to explore the full
promise of this research.
Embryonic stem cells have the potential to be used to treat and better
understand a multitude of diseases and injuries.
I strongly urge Representative ______ to support H.R. 810 and help move
this important field of research forward.
Explain your personal connection to this legislation. It is key to
explain why the promise of embryonic stem cell research is important to
you. Your message will stand out if you include a personal story.
Embryonic stem cell research is about saving and improving lives. Go to
www.camradvocacy.org, and follow the steps to Contact Congress.
Make your support of Embryonic Stem Cell Research known!
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