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-- [ From: Seymour Gross * EMC.Ver #2.5.3 ] -- Charlie, and others - Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education, conducted the hearing on Dec. 2. Following are excerpts from The New York Times 12/3 re the hearing. "It is not too unrealistic to say that this research has the potential to revolutionize the practice of medicine and improve the quality and length of life," said Dr. Harold Varmus, director of the National Institutes of Health. "The scientists who announced last month that they had isolated and cultured the cells told the hearing of the cells' potential to be grown into any desired tissue of the body and used to treat almost any disease , particularly those, like Parkinson's disease and juvenile diabetes, that are caused by deficiency of a specific type of cell. "Dr. Varmus agreed with that assessment. ' "There is almost no realm of medicine," he said, ' "that might not be touched by this innovation.' " "Dr. Thomas Okarma, Geron's vice president for research, said embryonic stem cells were a potential source of the following: "Heart muscle cells to treat congestive heart failure. "Blood-forming cells to help cancer patients whose own bone marrow cells have been damaged by chemotherapy. "Cells to line the inside of blood vessels, as treatment for atherosclerosis. "Insulin-producing cells to cure those with insulin dependent diabetes. "Nerve and brain cells to treat victims of stroke, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease." When Sen. Specter "pressed the scientists to say how soon treatments using the cells might be available, Dr. Thomson said therapy for Parkinson's disease could be expected in 5 to 10 years, and Dr. Gearhart predicted 7 to 12 years." "Dr. Varmus said that he believed that Dr. Gearhart's research, performed with aborted fetuses rather than viable embryos, probably could have been financed by the National Institutes of Health despite the Congressional ban, but that he was awaiting a ruling from the general counsel of the Department of Health and Human Services." Hope this is of help. Dolores Gross [log in to unmask]