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This statement went out to the media today, January 8, 2007 at 4 p.m. IN CASE YOU WANT THE UNBIASED, BIPARTISAN TRUTH: EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH SHOWS GREAT PROMISE From Sean Tipton, president, Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR) -- "Embryonic stem cell research opponents selectively and irresponsibly tout individual studies when it's politically convenient. The nationally recognized and prestigious universities, scientists, medical schools, research organizations and foundations that CAMR represents want all sides of the story to be told on this issue. We need a federal policy change on embryonic stem cell research, and we look forward to the House and Senate passing the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act early in this 110th Congress." The Washington Post: "Atala and other scientists emphasized that they don't believe the [amniotic] cells will make embryonic stem cells irrelevant. 'There's not going to be one shoe that fits all,' said Robert Lanza, scientific director at Advanced Cell Technology in Worcester, Mass. 'We're going to have to see which ones are most useful for which clinical conditions.' George Daley, a Harvard stem cell researcher, echoed that sentiment. "They are not a replacement for embryonic stem cells." (Rick Weiss, "Scientists See Potential in Amniotic Stem Cells," The Washington Post, 1/8/07) Bloomberg - "Many laboratories have claimed to have found cells outside the embryo that share the ability to become a wide variety of tissues, said Jeanne Loring, a researcher at the Burnham Institute in La Jolla, California, who has been working with stem cells for 20 years. 'Other laboratories will have to replicate the work with the amniotic cells before it's accepted, 'she said. 'We're all very cautious because people have been wrong so many times,''" (John Lauerman, "Amniotic Stem Cells Offer Alternative to Embryonic, Adult Cells," Bloomberg News, 1/8/07) Associated Press: "But Dr. Anthony Atala, head of Wake Forest's regenerative medicine institute and the senior researcher on the project, said the scientists still don't know exactly how many different cell types can be made from the stem cells found in amniotic fluid. The scientists said preliminary tests in patients are years away. 'While they are fascinating subjects of study in their own right, they are not a substitute for human embryonic stem cells, which allow scientists to address a host of other interesting questions in early human development,' said [Harvard University scientist] Dr. George Daley." (The Associated Press, "Report: Amniotic fluid yields stem cells", MSNBC.com, 1/8/07) New York Times: "But all stem cells are not alike, and an early read by the Science desk here at The Times suggests that the [amniotic] cells harvested this way may not be as versatile and useful as the ones harvested from embryos, which are called pluripotent stem cells. Stem cells of the multipotent type, like those isolated from adult tissue, have so far been of much less use to researchers, in part because they have been very difficult to grow in the lab." (Tom Zeller, Jr., The New York Times; The Lede, 1/8/07) Los Angeles Times: "It is still unclear whether stem cells from amniotic fluid - the liquid that cushions fetuses in the womb - can produce the range of cell types that embryonic stem cells can. 'It makes me wonder how pluripotent they are,' said [Larry] Goldstein, [UC, San Diego] who was not involved in the study. Though the cells might prove useful in some circumstances, Goldstein said, they aren't a substitute for embryonic stem cells. 'They built a screwdriver here, but I need a wrench,' he said." (Karen Kaplan, "Stem Cells in Amniotic Fluid Show Great Promise, Study Says," 1/8/07) USA Today: "But as a number of reports note, the research is young compared to what is known about embryonic stem cell studies. It is still unclear whether stem cells from amniotic fluid - the liquid that cushions babies in the womb -- can give rise to the full range of cell types that embryonic stem cells can produce." (Patrick Cooper, "On Deadline: More backing for amniotic stem cells?," USA Today online, Jan. 8, 2007) Globe and Mail: "But both Dr. Atala and other stem-cell experts agree that much remains to be learned about these [amniotic] cells. 'I don't think it's going to replace embryonic stem cell research at this point. Lots has to be done to see a clear picture of these cells,' said Andras Nagy, a senior scientist at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital. 'We have to find out, what are the limitations of these cells? What are these cells? We have to be very careful not to get overexcited.' Dr. Nagy, who developed the first two human embryonic stem cell lines in Canada, said it may be that different diseases could be treated with stem cells derived from different sources. Still, he said, he doubted these new amniotic cells 'will be able to do as many things as embryonic stem cells.' " (Carolyn Abraham, "Amniotic fluids bring stem cell boost," 1/8/07) Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Statement: "Because our knowledge of amniotic fluid-derived stem cells is so preliminary, we believe it is critical for JDRF and other organizations to support research exploring the potential and promise of all types of stem cells- embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, and amniotic fluid- derived and amnion-derived stem cells- to become mature functional cells to cure diabetes and other diseases." [Dr. Richard Insel, Executive Vice President for Research at JDRF] "Amniotic cells are not embryonic stem cells. They are not pluripotent to the same degree and will be used for very different purposes in research and potentially medicine. They are not a replacement for embryonic stem cells. Growing cells from amniocentesis fluid is quite interesting, and the use for specific babies born with conditions that were found during ultrasound is fascinating and futuristic. I am quite bullish on the applications of fetal-derived aminotic cells for autologous treatments where the cells from a specific fetus are cultured for later use in the baby. In cases where a disorder is diagnosed in utero (e.g., diaphragmatic hernia, or certain developmental defects), this makes great sense, as the cells are 'self' to the baby." -- George Daley, Harvard University "Unfortunately, and predictably, opponents of embryonic stem cell research will attempt to make it seem as if embryonic stem cell research is unnecessary and has no potential to provide treatments for diseases and injuries. This simply is not true. In fact, the overwhelming majority of scientists and medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, Association of American Medical Colleges and the National Academies of Science, believe that both adult and embryonic stem cell research should be pursued. These organizations are joined by more than one hundred patient groups like the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Christopher Reeve Foundation, Parkinson's Action Network, and the CNS Foundation. The reason for this scientific consensus is that adult and embryonic stem cells have their own distinct characteristics and their own distinct potential to provide treatments and cures. We hope that Members of Congress will dismiss the notion that one kind of stem cell research obviates the need for the other, and that they will understand the essential importance of a broad-based approach to stem cell research. This approach must include meaningful federal funding for all forms of stem cell research, including the study of human embryonic stem cells, so that scientists can develop new treatments and cures from across the spectrum of stem cell biology. -- Steven Teitelbaum, M.D.; Wilma and Roswell Messing Professor of Pathology and Immunology; Washington University in St. Louis, MO FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL THE COALITION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF MEDICAL RESEARCH Sean Tipton -- 202.421.5112 Sarah Youngerman -- 651.485.7171 Carol Blymire -- 301.332.8090 ______________________________________________ CAMR.friends mailing list [log in to unmask] http://www.freehood.net/mailman/listinfo/camr.friends ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn