#240 Friday, October 20, 2006 - MISSOURI: MONEY vs. WHEELCHAIR WARRIORS Recently a friend of this column questioned my statement that the Talent campaign was out-spending McCaskill 10-1. I had described the GOP sponsored campaign for the anti-stemcell Talent as "limitless", a tidal wave of cash for ads inundating Missouri, especially in the last crucial days. Turns out I was wrong. It is worse than that. As Robert Novak noted in a recent column: "Missouri polls show this race on the razor's edge between Sen. Jim Talent (R) and state Auditor Claire McCaskill (D). Talent, however, has more than 15 times as much cash (emphasis added) in his own campaign account for the home stretch-- $4.2 million to $250,000." But Missouri also has nearly 900,000 voters with a disability*-more than 20% of the voting public. Being generally poor, unemployed, and lacking in adequate health care insurance, disabled folks tend to vote Democratic. If these wheelchair warriors turn out in numbers, even a tsunami of money may not be enough for the Bush-league Talent. Recently, I was interviewed by reporter Jason Gertzen of the Kansas City Star, and am reproducing his article here for you. States go own way on science Will Missouri follow path of Indiana or California regarding stem cells and burgeoning research? By JASON GERTZEN The Kansas City Star Don Reed is convinced that stem-cell research will help his paralyzed son walk again. Ed Rivet sees the science as an overly hyped field marred by dubious moral implications. Reed, co-founder of Californians for Cures, and Rivet, a longtime lobbyist for Right to Life of Michigan, are activists on different sides of the debate, and different parts of the country. But both have played central roles in stitching a quilt of contrasting state-by-state approaches to regulating human embryonic stem-cell research. Missouri voters soon will contribute their own piece to the nationwide policy patchwork. A proposed constitutional amendment on the Nov. 7 ballot would offer state protection for any stem-cell research or cures that are acceptable under federal law. It also would make it clear that human reproductive cloning is prohibited. It would not provide any state funding for the research. The outcome of the vote will influence whether Missouri scientists, doctors and biotech entrepreneurs will emerge as leaders in the stem-cell field. The federal government, with tens of billions of dollars to dole out each year, usually dictates which scientific fields flourish. But because of President Bush's 2001 policy limiting federal support for certain forms of stem-cell research, state initiatives like Missouri's have taken center stage. "Stem-cell science has become a state policy question," said Sean Tipton, president of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research. Legislative quilt Stem cells begin as blank slates capable of transforming into cells for any tissue or organ in the body. Since human embryonic stem cells first were isolated in 1998, researchers, doctors and patient advocates have buzzed over their potential to provide cures for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and repairs for injured spinal cords and hearts. The research also has detractors. Critics say leftover embryos donated by fertility clinic patients are destroyed during one primary technique used for deriving stem cells. In Missouri, critics also have drawn attention to another technique, somatic cell nuclear transfer, a form of non-reproductive cloning. Many researchers view the method as necessary for producing eventual embryonic stem-cell therapies. A growing roster of states, most notably California, New Jersey, Illinois and Wisconsin, have offered support and, in some cases, financing for embryonic stem-cell research. The National Conference of State Legislatures has tallied a half-dozen states with a funding package in place or with plans to pursue one. On the other side, lawmakers in states such as Indiana, South Dakota and Michigan are among states that have passed sanctions or other restrictions on anyone who would pursue this science within their state borders. "I have grave concern as someone who believes that life begins at fertilization," said Patricia Miller, a Republican senator from Indianapolis with more than two decades of service in the Indiana General Assembly. "I think what they are doing raises enormous moral and ethical problems. I am grateful that Indiana is not doing what California is doing." Miller shepherded legislation into Indiana law in 2005 that prohibits research on cloned embryos. Though the specifics of the various state laws vary widely and not all were designed specifically to address stem-cell research, researchers count Indiana among 18 states with legal restrictions regarding research involving embryos. Whether Missouri eventually follows the path of an Indiana or a California after the Nov. 7 vote has substantial implications in the state. Leaders of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in Kansas City put a $300 million expansion project on hold because of uncertainty over possible research restrictions. Jim and Virginia Stowers, the benefactors of the research institute, have been major supporters of the Missouri stem-cell initiative. The institute recently resumed expansion planning and aims to ramp up its stem-cell work in the region. Both actions, however, are contingent on Missouri voters approving the amendment. "Jim and Virginia have unequivocally stated that future growth of the institute in Kansas City depends on a cordial environment for stem-cell research," William Neaves, president and chief executive officer of the institute, said in an interview earlier this year. Neaves also said that "we have difficulty rationalizing the establishment of our programs in Missouri when we might wake up some morning to find that an act of the legislature has rendered us felons." Gold rush Some states, most notably California, have explicitly encouraged stem-cell research. In 2004, California voters triggered a biotech gold rush with approval of a $3 billion initiative for stem-cell science. The effort has been mired in litigation and bureaucracy since it passed at the polls, but it appears to be moving forward. The state recently issued the group overseeing the California stem-cell initiative a $150 million loan, making possible the first round of $100 million in grants. More cash is to come later, but even this initial amount outdistances the $38 million the federal government is expected to direct to human embryonic stem-cell research this year. Reed, the stem-cell activist, is heartened that California's initiative is moving ahead. But he worries that stem-cell advances may be stifled elsewhere. "This is not something that should be tied up in one state," said Reed, who has been consumed by the pursuit of a medical breakthrough since his son, Roman, was paralyzed in a 1994 college football game. Reed speaks out at meetings, pleads his position in letters to newspapers and closely follows the progress of campaigns such as the one in Missouri. After feeling the pulsing of once-limp muscles of a research rat that partly overcame spinal cord damage following a stem-cell treatment, Reed is convinced that this research offers the greatest promise to help his now 31-year-old son. "I believe I'll see my son walk again," Reed said. Sean Morrison is a stem-cell researcher in Michigan who is watching the ballot initiative in Missouri closely. Soon after Scottish scientists announced in 1996 that they had cloned Dolly the sheep, Michigan lawmakers worried about rogue researchers trying the same thing with people imposed cloning restrictions. Although human embryonic stem-cell research was not considered at the time, the laws put in place nearly a decade ago have been an impediment, said Morrison, director of the University of Michigan Center for Stem Cell Biology. "The Michigan Legislature frequently trumpets its support for the life science sector," Morrison said. "On the other hand, they pass laws that move the state in the opposite direction of states with thriving life sciences industries." Rivet, a lobbyist for the Right to Life organization in Michigan for the past 18 years, says proponents are trying to persuade voters that stem-cell cures are just out of humanity's grasp, blocked by "right-to-life, embryo-worshipping laws standing in our way." Rivet was involved in pushing for some of the restrictions in Michigan. Even so, he contends that the University of Michigan, Michigan State and other universities are research powerhouses and that the state has gained traction in expanding its life sciences sector. "We haven't seen it have a significant impact on our biotech industry or our life sciences corridor," Rivet said. "It hasn't impacted a thing." Rivet agrees that blocking embryonic stem-cell research was not the original intention of the law. He said researchers can still do the work in Michigan as long as they obtain batches of embryonic stem cells from elsewhere. Michigan opponents of embryonic stem-cell research stand ready to resist a pullback from the existing restrictions, though they are not necessarily intending to push for more restrictive measures. "It's pragmatic," Rivet said. "We have done what we can to prevent the destruction of embryos here." Tough choices Lawmakers in various states initially got involved in the issue by trying to put restrictions on cloning, said Alissa Johnson, an analyst with the Conference of State Legislatures. In recent years, however, there have been new measures intended to permit some stem-cell research, Johnson said. As this has occurred, potential economic development benefits such as those promised by the Stowers Institute have been injected into the debate, alongside the promotion of medical advances and concerns about moral and ethical issues. "Now that states are using state funds to promote stem-cell research programs, it has put increasing attention on the economic development aspect of the issue," Johnson said. James Thomson, the Wisconsin scientist who was the first to isolate human embryonic stem cells, is pursuing stem-cell-related start-ups in addition to his university research. A small cluster of biotech companies also are focusing on stem cells. Other than that, though, embryonic stem-cell research activity is limited largely to academic labs. Johnson said, "It is really too early to say how all this will pay off in the long run." In the meantime, states are gauging their success by their ability to attract top talent. Gabriela Cezar was a graduate research assistant at the Roslin Institute of Dolly the sheep fame. In recent years she had been at Pfizer Inc., working on ways to use stem cells for developing new drugs. When she wanted to advance her research by shifting to an academic laboratory, Cezar considered offers from California and elsewhere, but ultimately chose Wisconsin. Pfizer has major operations in Michigan, and Cezar was familiar with the rich biotech assets in that state. But because of the legal restrictions, Cezar crossed Michigan off her list. "How can you work in a place where you know your hands are going to be tied?" Cezar said. To reach Jason Gertzen, call (816) 234-4899 or send e-mail to [log in to unmask] Don C. Reed, Chair, Californians for Cures, www.stemcellbattles.com. Email Don ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn