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Mr. Anderson:

Here are some quick stabs at the answers to your three questions.  Others may
want to elaborate:

1. Chris Smith is not just anti-abortion; he is/has been the leader of the
House "pro-life" caucus.  Many, like Smith, who are zealous anti-abortionites
are very good on OTHER issues.  But don't pin any hopes on changing his mind
on the "life" issues, including fetal transplants.  I wouldn't waste my time,
if I were you.

2. Most scientists seem to think that fetal transplants (I personally prefer
the more generic and less emotionally-loaded phrase "neural transplantation"),
whether involving humans or pigs or other animals, remains one of the most
promising paths to repairing the body's dopamine-producing processes.  NIH
funded two major double-blind studies of human transplants about three years
ago and the results are not yet out; maybe later this year.

3.  The Udall bill does not specify particular areas of scientific inquiry.
Anti-choice people in the Senate did make a move to ban research involving
human fetal research from the bill last year, you'll remember, and we beat 'em
in an up-and-down vote, about three to two.

- Robin Elliott, Parkinson's Disease Foundation