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Having lived in Ohio many years, I can tell you, Ray, that you echo the sentiments of many Ohioans when you say, "What is the matter with these idiots?" I was having acupunture treatments there in the mid-sevenites. Shortly after I moved, the State banned acupuncture! Unbelievable! Scott >===== Original Message From Parkinson's Information Exchange Network <[log in to unmask]> ===== >Research ban would hurt Ohio > or why I am no longer a Republican. What is the matter with these idiots?? >I can remember when Republicans did not oppose science. These attempts to >stop therapeutic cloning seem to be cropping up all over the country. Thank >goodness progress is being made elsewhere, like in the UK. The criminal >penalties like jail would be worth not having PD if I have to go abroad for >treatment. > >Ray > >A bill being considered in the Ohio Senate, meant to ban human cloning, >would do far more than that. It would weaken the state's push, through its >new economic stimulus package, to attract top biomedical researchers. And it >would send a message, accurate or not, that the state isn't really serious >about developing cutting-edge science and the jobs that come with it. >Lawmakers should reject the legislation, which itself is essentially a clone >of an earlier, equally misguided attempt to restrict scientific research. >Proposed by Sen. Stephen Buehrer, R-Delta, the bill would impose criminal >penalties on anyone who attempts human cloning in any form, for therapeutic >or reproductive use. In essence it bans the technique of "somatic cell >nuclear transfer," in which the nucleus of an egg is replaced with the >nucleus of another cell. >This would prevent the artificial creation of a human being. But it also >would virtually rule out therapeutic genetic techniques. It would remove a >major tool to create personalized stem cells lines, keyed to an individual's >DNA, that could be used to cure specific diseases in that person. >Dr. Arnold W. Strauss, medical director of Cincinnati Children's Hospital >Medical Center, told a Senate committee the ban would keep Ohio scientists >from finding new treatments for several diseases with genetic origins. >"Generating patient-specific stem cells, that is, human cells that contain >those genetic mistakes ... in a Petri dish is not cloning of a human," he >said. >As others testified, this research is vital to the kind of breakthroughs >Ohio is investing heavily to produce. The state has smartly set the stage >with grants, tax policies, capital formation and other initiatives. >Bioscience now is its fastest-growing industry. Strauss said it drives >15,000 jobs in Cincinnati alone. The ban would signal "that Ohio is a >hostile environment for productive biomedical research," he said. >This is a debate that should have been settled by now. In 2005, after voters >approved the "Third Frontier" high-tech initiative, lawmakers attempted to >insert a similar ban into its implementation law. Then-Gov. Bob Taft, who >had already issued an executive order to govern such research, wisely vowed >to veto any such measure. >If the General Assembly is so foolhardy as to pass this legislation, Gov. >Ted Strickland should follow his predecessor's lead and slap it down. Ohio >holds great promise as a center for research that could strengthen the >state's economy and benefit many lives. Lawmakers should let the scientists >do the science. > >Rayilyn Brown >Board Member AZNPF >Arizona Chapter National Parkinson's Foundation >[log in to unmask] > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- >To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] >In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn Scott E. Antes Department of Anthropology Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5200 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn