From Bob Cowan ([log in to unmask]):
The following two items appeared on the "wires" on 17 May:
05/17 1718 Rep. Porter Pledges Support for Brain Research
WASHINGTON, May 17 /U.S. Newswire/ -- U.S. Rep.
John Edward Porter (R-Ill.) said yesterday that there was
hardly a more vital endeavor than biomedical brain research.
The Congressman, who chairs the sub committee responsible
for the National Institutes of Health appropriations, gave
his remarks at a luncheon hosted by the Dana Alliance for
Brain Initiatives.
The Dana Alliance, a non-profit organization of over 135
neuroscientists, including five Nobel laureates, released
"Delivering Results: A Progress Report on Brain Research"
to some 250 congressional aides and representatives of
health and science organizations. The report outlines the
progress in brain research at the midpoint of the "Decade of
the Brain."
Rep. Porter pledged to continue to support funding for
biomedical and neurological research during the budget
process, but said that it would not be easy. He urged
members of the audience to call, write or visit their
representatives to tell them how important brain research is
to them.
"Delivering Results: A Progress Report on Brain
Research," foresees treatments emerging in the next five
years that will help tens of million of Americans suffering
from neurological and psychiatric disorders. One out of
five Americans is affected by a brain-related disease or
disorder.
The progress report was previewed at a Congressional
breakfast that was hosted by an honorary committee of over
20 senators and representatives. The report covers 15
categories of brain disorders.
The breakfast was followed by a Public Forum at which
Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) and Mike Wallace of "60 Minutes,"
among others, spoke of their personal experiences with
brain-related problems. Wallace related his battle with
depression and Rep. Moran told the story of his 3-year old
daughter who is battling a brain tumor.
Each of the speakers was followed by a prominent
neurologist talking of the advances in the developing,
maturing and aging brain. In effect, each said that new
technologies such as "imaging" have helped neuroscientists
look into functioning brains and better understand how the
brain works, and how it recovers. Genetic research has also
made a significant inroad into the understanding of
brain-related diseases.
The Dana Alliance members believe that within five years
there will be remarkable new therapies for brain-related
diseases including: more effective medication for
schizophrenia; effective cocaine-blocking agents;
refinements in the treatment of epilepsy; screening for
Parkinson's disease; and clinical trials for drugs to treat
Alzheimer's disease.
Stephen A. Foster, president of the Charles A. Dana
Foundation, said "more progress has been made in the last 10
or 15 years than in all previous history. Scientists are on
the road to being able to treat, and someday cure, these
disorders. In the next five years, we'll see new
generations of current drug treatments, innovative
strategies to relieve suffering and approaches that a few
years ago would have seemed impossible. Brain research is
one of our nation's most spectacularly successful
investments. And it will change all American's future for
the better."
05/17 1528 PARKINSON'S ACTION NETWORK LEADER WARNS OF
'SCARE ...
JEOPARDIZE RESEARCH NOW UNDERWAY
WASHINGTON, May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The leader of a
major Parkinson's Disease organization and a prominent
neural research physician have warned against an "ill
thought out scare campaign" by some religious organizations
and an activist opponent of biotechnology to ban the
patenting of genetically engineered materials.
Joan Samuelson, President of the Parkinson's Action
Network, and Dr. D. Eugene Redmond, Jr., M.D., Director of
the Yale Neural Transplant Program, said such an action
could jeopardize on-going research for cures and treatment
of Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and other diseases and
disorders.
"As a Parkinson's patient, I know that it is our clock
that is ticking as we wait for a cure," said Ms. Samuelson.
"It is important that an ill-thought out scare campaign
could stall a breakthrough and doom us to further
unnecessary suffering.
"At the present time there are some 25 to 30 American
pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies working on
therapeutics relating to the cure and relief of Parkinson's
Disease," said Ms. Samuelson. "And, there are 29
Biotechnology-derived drugs or vaccines that are now on the
market to treat diabetes, hepatitis, cardiovascular
diseases, anemia, dwarfism, cystic fibrosis and the effects
of chemotherapy on cancer patients.
"At least 230 other drugs are in the human clinical trial
stage of FDA approval to treat, cure, prevent or diagnose
scores of diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's,
Parkinson's, ALS, sickle cell anemia, and AIDS."
In a letter to Ms. Samuelson and the Parkinson's Action
Network, Dr. Redmond said, "The major areas in which DNA
technology has already produced tremendous breakthroughs are
in the production of pure and complex new therapeutic
products; the development of modified animals which allow
important disease theories or drugs to be tested; and the
introduction of DNA sequences into the body (gene therapy)
to treat genetic deficiencies or to produce therapeutic
responses.
"All of these techniques carry enormous potential for
treatment of diseases from Parkinson's to AIDS and cancer --
undoubtedly the most important new technologies that provide
hope for the cure of diseases that medicine has been unable
to treat effectively, in addition to applications from
agriculture to the environment," Dr. Redmond continued.
"Misguided opponents of biotechnology research such as
Jeremy Rifkin and some religious organizations could
severely alter the pace of research in genetic engineering
on the basis of moral questions about patenting human and
animal forms of life," said Ms. Samuelson.
"In fact, a biotechnology patent does not mean that the
patent holder owns a specific gene. A patent only gives the
holder temporary protections concerning the use of a gene
for commercial purposes.
"The Parkinson's Action Network and other patient groups
are concerned that valuable time and resources could be lost
if the issue of patenting genetically engineered products
ties up the process. The denial of patent protection to the
innovators will slow down the pace of research or dry it up
altogether," said Ms. Samuelson.
"Patent protection that has been awarded in the area of
biotechnology is not fundamentally different from patents on
chemical compounds which exist in nature," Dr. Redmond said.
"Patents provide protection for an individual or company
which has discovered new processes which produce the
compounds, interact with them in unique ways, or utilize
them for novel and beneficial purposes. Patents have been a
major 'engine for discovery,' without which U.S. industry
would be crippled and new treatments may never materialize."
-0- 5/17/95 /CONTACT: Bob Neuman or Joan Komlos
for the Parkinson's Action Network, 202-628-2075/
CO: Parkinson's Action Network ST: District of Columbia
IN: HEA MTC SU:
