 |
 |
thank you thank you thank you Rayilyn Brown Director AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation [log in to unmask] -------------------------------------------------- From: "PATTI ZAPF" <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2009 5:28 AM To: <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: ESCR under attack - CONTACT NIH TODAY!!! > alan and i each sent a message. > thank you! > > On May 14, 2009, at 3:55 AM, JOHN YOCHIM wrote: > >> Thank you Ray. I told them. >> >> --- On Thu, 5/14/09, rayilynlee <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >> >> From: rayilynlee <[log in to unmask]> >> Subject: ESCR under attack - CONTACT NIH TODAY!!! >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Date: Thursday, May 14, 2009, 1:16 AM >> >> CONTACT THE N.I.H. TODAY! A personal request from Don C. Reed >> Action asked: Click on the following to contact National Institutes of >> Health: >> >> http://nihoerextra.nih.gov/stem_cells/add.htm. >> >> Dear Stem Cell Research Advocate: >> >> The next 14 days are crucial in the stem cell research struggle. >> >> Here's why. >> >> Remember when President Obama signed that document removing the Bush >> stem cell restrictions? That same day he called upon the National >> Institutes of Health to draft a new set of guidelines for scientists >> wanting federal funding. >> >> Those guidelines have just been issued. >> (http://stemcells.nih.gov/policy/2009draft.htm ) >> >> The next 14 days are the comment period for the new guidelines for stem >> cell research, which American scientists will have to live with if they >> want federal funding. This is the public's only chance to shape those >> guidelines: which can be improved-or made worse. >> Unfortunately, there are problems! >> >> Not only are the guidelines far more conservative than we had hoped, but >> opponents of the research are systematically flooding the comment >> process. >> >> Led by the Catholic Church and other conservative religious bodies, a >> national campaign has begun: to attack early stem cell research by mass >> emails to the NIH. >> >> *"The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) launched a >> new "Oppose Destructive Stem Cell Research" campaign today, equipping >> citizens to contact Congress and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) >> to oppose embryonic stem cell research ." -- WASHINGTON, May 6 >> /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ www.usccb.org/stemcellcampaign >> >> Is their anti-research campaign having an effect? >> >> Dr. Wise Young of Rutgers University , ". of the 6000 plus comments that >> NIH has received concerning the draft guidelines, 99% were from people >> who opposed embryonic stem cell research."-Carecure Forum >> http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showpost.php?p=1039001&postcount=12 >> Imagine what the enemies of research will do with a statistic like that! >> Think of the State Senators and Representatives who have to fight for >> stem cell funding-they will be hammered-no politician ever wants to >> stand alone. >> >> Supporters of stem cell research must be heard. >> >> To prevail, we need to do three things: inform ourselves, act >> individually, and reach out to our networks. >> First, read this message all the way through; it contains background >> information from the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research >> (CAMR), and other sources. >> >> Second, send your message to the government. Click on the comment box >> you will find at the following url: >> http://nihoerextra.nih.gov/stem_cells/add.htm >> >> Third, SHARE THIS LETTER-or write your own-- email all your contacts. >> >> Any statement of support has impact. One sentence can make a difference. >> >> Something like: "I support embryonic stem cell research, and am glad >> some of the restrictions are being loosened." That matters. >> >> Anyone who clicks on the comment box, and writes in a sentence-that >> message will be tallied as one citizen in support. Of course, you may >> say more if you want. If you are a long-term research supporter, your >> letter will be put in the expert witness category. >> >> (If you want to get more involved in shaping the guidelines, that would >> be helpful. The guidelines are politically very timid, and must be >> strengthened. Problems: >> >> a "grandfather clause" is needed to insure that every stem cell line >> already approved under the previous stringent guidelines will be >> eligible; that alternate sources of stem cell lines such as SCNT and >> parthenogenesis will not be excluded from funding, and more. (see CAMR >> comments below.) >> >> But every patient advocate in America must at least click on the comment >> box, and make a statement in support of early stem cell research. >> >> This affects everyone in America, and the world. MORE THAN ONE PERSON IN >> A FAMILY MAY COMMENT. Every adult friend or family member should click >> and make a comment-- as well as every scientist, medical student, every >> teacher, every parent-everyone who has a reason to want stem cell >> therapies and cures. >> >> Here it is, one more time: http://nihoerextra.nih.gov/stem_cells/add.htm >> . >> >> Or, send a letter (ideally on letterhead) to: NIH Stem Cell Guidelines, >> MSC 7997, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda , Maryland , 20892-7997 >> >> But whatever you are going to do, do it now. There is very little time >> before the May 26th deadline. >> >> We have worked hard, many years. We are so close. We must not falter >> now. >> >> Click on the button, send your comments in-do it today, please. >> >> And thanks. You make the difference: you are one of the overworked few >> who change the world. >> >> P.S. Here is a letter from Amy Comstock-Rick, President of the Coalition >> for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR); I copied it from CAMR's >> website, where much more information can be found: www.camradvocacy.org . >> Help Ensure Strong Federal Support for Embryonic Stem Cell Research - >> Submit Comments to the NIH on its Draft Guidelines >> As you know, President Obama recently issued an Executive Order >> instructing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop >> guidelines to establish a framework for federal funding of embryonic >> stem cell research. NIH has released its draft guidelines, and the >> public has the opportunity to comment on the draft over the next few >> weeks. NIH will analyze the content, as well as volume, of the comments >> as it finalizes the guidelines. >> It will be critical for NIH to hear from the public during the comment >> period. Please follow the instructions below to submit your comments to >> ensure that the final guidelines are crafted in a way that ensures that >> this science advances as quickly as possible. And, please share the >> link to this page with your friends, family, and anyone you know who >> supports embryonic stem cell research. >> How to submit your comments: >> Click http://nihoerextra..nih.gov/stem_cells/add.htm to be connected to >> the NIH comment form; >> Provide your name, and select `self' for Affiliation; and >> Copy and paste the text below into the comment box, provide the security >> check ID on the form, and click `submit comments.' >> Suggested comment text (copy and paste into Comment section of NIH >> comment form and edit as appropriate for you): >> Embryonic stem cell research holds great promise for millions of >> Americans suffering from many diseases and disorders. I am not a >> scientist, but I have been following progress in this field with great >> interest. Significant strides have been made over the past decade, and >> the final guidelines issued by NIH must build on this progress so that >> cures and new therapies can get to patients as quickly as possible. The >> final guidelines should not create new bureaucratic hurdles that will >> slow the pace of progress. >> I am pleased that these draft guidelines -- in Section II B -- would >> appear to permit federal funding of stem cell lines previously not >> eligible for federal funding and for new lines created in the future >> from surplus embryos at fertility clinics. However, as drafted, Section >> II B does not ensure that any current stem cell line will meet the >> criteria outlined and thus be eligible for federal funding. It will be >> important for the final guidelines to allow federal funds for research >> using all stem cell lines created by following ethical practices at the >> time they were derived. This will ensure that the final guidelines >> build on progress that has already been made. >> I also believe that the final guidelines should permit federal funding >> for stem cell lines derived from sources other than excess IVF embryos, >> such as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Sections II B and IV of >> the draft guidelines do not permit such federal funding and I recommend >> that the final guidelines provide federal funding using stem cell lines >> derived in other ways. If not, it is essential that the NIH continue to >> monitor developments in this exciting research area and to update these >> guidelines as the research progresses. >> Thank you! >> Sincerely, >> Amy Comstock Rick, president >> Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research >> >> Rayilyn Brown >> Director AZNPF >> Arizona Chapter National Parkinson 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 >> >> >> >> >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: >> mailto:[log in to unmask] >> In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn >> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn