 |
 |
Mr. President: I ma at a 1:00 am due to the pain and insomnia due to my disease. I am Canadian, But rejoyced when you were elected as I thought you were a man of vision, and it was my understanding that one of your first acts was to lift the ban on federal funding of rsearch involving fetal cells. I am severely disappointed and disillusioned that you have not done so and now appear poised to interfere imposing more red tape between 100,000 canadians and I think 1.5 Million americans and a potential cure for a truly horrible disease. Maybe sheer numbers make it easy to sort of lump as all together. Perhaps onwe mans story is needed to reach intro your heart. I was 29 when diagnsoed with PD. By the time I was in my mid 30's it had taken my job and most of my hobbies and interests and nearly my life in an attempted suicide. By my late 30's the huge amount of drugs caused severe psycholigical problems, combined with my devastated health and it's effect on my two sons drove my wife to leave, two weeks before I had a Palllidotomy, brain surgery that cauterizes parts that are malfunctioning. This improved my physical health but caused more mental problems, including compulsive gambling. This has reduced me to my present state 42 years old living below the welfare level in a group home. I can't have another Pallidotomy, not eligible for any other surgery, drugs are ineffective. I assure you there are thousands more like me, with similar or worse situations. I beg you to give this your utmost attention. We are so close to acure. Please don't take that hope away, for some of us, that is all we have. Bill Harrington At 03:10 AM 12/6/98 -0500, you wrote: > The White House > Washington > > >November 14, 1998 > >Dr. Harold Shapiro >Chair >National Bioethics Advisory Comission >Suite 3C01 >6100 Executive Boulevard >Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7508 > >Dear Dr. Shapiro: > >This week's report of the creation of an embronic stem cell that is >part human and part cow raises the most serious of ethical, medical >and legal concerns. I am deeply troubled by this news of experiments >involving the mingling of human and non-human species. I am therefore >requesting that the National Bioethics Advisory Commission consider >the implications of such research at your meeting next week, and to >report back to me as soon a possible. > >I recognize, however, that other kinds of stem cell research raise >different ethical issues, while promising significant medical >benefits. Four years ago, I issued a ban on the use of federal >funds to create human embryos solely for research purposes; the ban >was later broadened by Congress to prohibit any embryo research in >the public sector. At that time, the benefits of human stem cell >research were hypothetical, while the ethical concerns were >immediate. Although the ethical issues have not diminished, it now >appears that this research may have real potential for treating such >devastating illnesses as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and >Parkinson's disease. With this in mind, I am also requesting that >the Commission undertake a thorough review of the issues associated >with such stem cell research, balancing all ethical and medical >considerations. > >I look forward to receiving your reports on these important issues. > >Sincerely, > >Bill Clinton > >