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Anyone interested in contacting our representatives in Washington, D.C. but don't know the correct addresses, phone numbers and e-mail contacts should contact the Parkinson's Action Network at parkinsonsaction.org. Their staff knows all the important numbers. Jeanne Lee-Rosner PDF ----- Original Message ----- From: Leo Fuhr <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, December 02, 1999 11:20 AM Subject: Re: NEWS-U.S. Proposes Tight Rules for Stem Cell Studies > This news article states that NIH will take public comments for 60 days. > Does anyone know the best forum for commenting to NIH and the address, > e-mail address or phone # we can use to make the contact? I'll be in > Washington DC l/3-1/9 and wonder if there is a person or department at NIH > I could visit or call to express my view on this research? > > Jeanette Fuhr 49/47/44? > > ---------- > From: judith richards <[log in to unmask]> > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: NEWS-U.S. Proposes Tight Rules for Stem Cell Studies > Date: Thursday, December 02, 1999 12:15 AM > > December 1, 1999 > U.S. Proposes Tight Rules for Stem Cell Studies > By Lisa Richwine > > WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. health agency on Wednesday unveiled > proposals aimed at easing some ethical concerns over government-funded > controversial research on stem cells from human embryos that scientists > hope could yield treatments for a range of diseases. > > The National Institutes of Health wants to hold researchers using public > dollars to tight ethical standards and conduct strict oversight of stem > cell studies, which scientists say hold great promise for medical > advances but opponents call immoral. > > Among its proposals, the NIH would require that cells come from embryos > donated by people who had them conceived through in-vitro fertilization > in the hopes of having a baby, and were not made just for research > purposes. > > Also, donors must give informed consent for handing over their unwanted > embryos to researchers and must not be paid for donating them, the > agency said. Private companies must harvest the cells. > > In addition, the agency wants to prohibit federal funds for research > that would use stem cells to create a human embryo, to clone a human or > combine human stem cells with animal embryos. > > Despite those restrictions, critics attacked the guidelines as providing > for government-funded killing of human embryos. > > ``For the first time, human embryos would be deliberately killed under > the sponsorship of the federal government,'' said Douglas Johnson, > legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee, an > anti-abortion group. > > The guidelines pertain to so-called ``pluripotent'' cells, which can > develop into any kind of cell in the body. > > ``NIH understands and respects the ethical, legal and social issues > relevant to human pluripotent stem cell research,'' the agency said in > making its proposals. > > ``In light of these issues, the NIH plans to move forward in a careful > and deliberate way prior to funding any research using stem cells.'' > > The NIH will take public comments for 60 days before issuing final > guidelines. > > Federal law prohibits research on human embryos, but Clinton > administration officials have said they thought stem cell research would > be legal if private firms cultivate the cells for studies. > > But a U.S. senator said the new guidelines violate federal law. > Republican Sam Brownback of Kansas called the research ''illegal, > immoral and unnecessary.'' > > ``The responsible thing to do is for government to serve human life in > ways that do not destroy life,'' Brownback said. > > Researchers hope that stem cells can grow into tissues or possibly > complete organs for transplants. They think stem-cell research could > help fight ailments such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, juvenile diabetes > or heart disease. > > A coalition of health groups that supports stem cell research welcomed > the NIH proposals, saying the group recognizes the controversy and the > need for restrictions. > > The proposals ``will prompt the inclusion of the most scientists in the > research, thus speeding the day when therapeutic applications are > available,'' said Daniel Perry, chairman of the Patients' Coalition for > Urgent Research. > > Copyright © 1996-1999 Reuters Limited. > > Judith Richards, London, Ontario, Canada > [log in to unmask] > ^^^^ > \ / > \ | / Today's Research > \\ | // ...Tomorrow's Cure > \ | / > \|/ > ````` > > > > Judith Richards, London, Ontario, Canada > [log in to unmask] > ^^^^ > \ / > \ | / Today's Research > \\ | // ...Tomorrow's Cure > \ | / > \|/ > ````` >