CAMR: Let's Tell The Truth About Embryonic Stem Cell Research

[Guest guest]

CAMR: Let's Tell The Truth About Embryonic Stem Cell Research

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=60367

In case you want the unbiased, bipartisan truth: embryonic stem cell

research shows great promise.

From Tipton, president, Coalition for the Advancement of

Medical Research (CAMR) -- " Embryonic stem cell research opponents

selectively and irresponsibly tout individual studies when it's

politically convenient. The nationally recognized and prestigious

universities, scientists, medical schools, research organizations

and foundations that CAMR represents want all sides of the story to

be told on this issue. We need a federal policy change on embryonic

stem cell research, and we look forward to the House and Senate

passing the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act early in this 110th

Congress. "

The Washington Post:

" Atala and other scientists emphasized that they don't believe the

[amniotic] cells will make embryonic stem cells irrelevant. 'There's

not going to be one shoe that fits all,' said Lanza,

scientific director at Advanced Cell Technology in Worcester,

Mass. 'We're going to have to see which ones are most useful for

which clinical conditions.' Daley, a Harvard stem cell

researcher, echoed that sentiment. 'They are not a replacement for

embryonic stem cells.' " (Rick Weiss, " Scientists See Potential in

Amniotic Stem Cells, " The Washington Post, 1/8/07)

Bloomberg: " Many laboratories have claimed to have found cells

outside the embryo that share the ability to become a wide variety

of tissues, said Jeanne Loring, a researcher at the Burnham

Institute in La Jolla, California, who has been working with stem

cells for 20 years. 'Other laboratories will have to replicate the

work with the amniotic cells before it's accepted,' she said. 'We're

all very cautious because people have been wrong so many times,' "

( Lauerman, " Amniotic Stem Cells Offer Alternative to Embryonic,

Adult Cells, " Bloomberg News, 1/8/07).

Associated Press:

" But Dr. Atala, head of Wake Forest's regenerative medicine

institute and the senior researcher on the project, said the

scientists still don't know exactly how many different cell types

can be made from the stem cells found in amniotic fluid. The

scientists said preliminary tests in patients are years away. 'While

they are fascinating subjects of study in their own right, they are

not a substitute for human embryonic stem cells, which allow

scientists to address a host of other interesting questions in early

human development,' said [Harvard University scientist] Dr.

Daley. " (The Associated Press, " Report: Amniotic fluid yields stem

cells " , MSNBC.com, 1/8/07)

New York Times:

" But all stem cells are not alike, and an early read by the Science

desk here at The Times suggests that the [amniotic] cells harvested

this way may not be as versatile and useful as the ones harvested

from embryos, which are called pluripotent stem cells. Stem cells of

the multipotent type, like those isolated from adult tissue, have so

far been of much less use to researchers, in part because they have

been very difficult to grow in the lab. " (Tom Zeller, Jr., The New

York Times; The Lede, 1/8/07)

Los Angeles Times:

" It is still unclear whether stem cells from amniotic fluid -- the

liquid that cushions fetuses in the womb -- can produce the range of

cell types that embryonic stem cells can. 'It makes me wonder how

pluripotent they are,' said [Larry] Goldstein, [uC, San Diego] who

was not involved in the study. Though the cells might prove useful

in some circumstances, Goldstein said, they aren't a substitute for

embryonic stem cells. 'They built a screwdriver here, but I need a

wrench,' he said. " ( Kaplan, " Stem Cells in Amniotic Fluid Show

Great Promise, Study Says, " 1/8/07)

USA Today:

" But as a number of reports note, the research is young compared to

what is known about embryonic stem cell studies. It is still unclear

whether stem cells from amniotic fluid -- the liquid that cushions

babies in the womb -- can give rise to the full range of cell types

that embryonic stem cells can produce. " ( , " On

Deadline: More backing for amniotic stem cells? " USA Today online,

Jan. 8, 2007)

Globe and Mail:

" But both Dr. Atala and other stem-cell experts agree that much

remains to be learned about these [amniotic] cells. 'I don't think

it's going to replace embryonic stem cell research at this point.

Lots has to be done to see a clear picture of these cells,' said

Andras Nagy, a senior scientist at the Lunenfeld Research

Institute at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital. 'We have to find out,

what are the limitations of these cells? What are these cells? We

have to be very careful not to get overexcited.' Dr. Nagy, who

developed the first two human embryonic stem cell lines in Canada,

said it may be that different diseases could be treated with stem

cells derived from different sources. Still, he said, he doubted

these new amniotic cells 'will be able to do as many things as

embryonic stem cells.' " (Carolyn Abraham, " Amniotic fluids bring

stem cell boost, " 1/8/07)

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Statement:

" Because our knowledge of amniotic fluid-derived stem cells is so

preliminary, we believe it is critical for JDRF and other

organizations to support research exploring the potential and

promise of all types of stem cells -- embryonic stem cells, adult

stem cells, and amniotic fluid-derived and amnion-derived stem

cells -- to become mature functional cells to cure diabetes and

other diseases. " [Dr. Insel, Executive Vice President for

Research at JDRF]

" Amniotic cells are not embryonic stem cells. They are not

pluripotent to the same degree and will be used for very different

purposes in research and potentially medicine. They are not a

replacement for embryonic stem cells. Growing cells from

amniocentesis fluid is quite interesting, and the use for specific

babies born with conditions that were found during ultrasound is

fascinating and futuristic. I am quite bullish on the applications

of fetal- derived aminotic cells for autologous treatments where the

cells from a specific fetus are cultured for later use in the baby.

In cases where a disorder is diagnosed in utero (e.g., diaphragmatic

hernia, or certain developmental defects), this makes great sense,

as the cells are 'self' to the baby. " -- Daley, Harvard

University.

" Unfortunately, and predictably, opponents of embryonic stem cell

research will attempt to make it seem as if embryonic stem cell

research is unnecessary and has no potential to provide treatments

for diseases and injuries. This simply is not true. In fact, the

overwhelming majority of scientists and medical organizations,

including the American Medical Association, Association of American

Medical Colleges and the National Academies of Science, believe that

both adult and embryonic stem cell research should be pursued. These

organizations are joined by more than one hundred patient groups

like the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the

Reeve Foundation, Parkinson's Action Network, and the CNS

Foundation. The reason for this scientific consensus is that adult

and embryonic stem cells have their own distinct characteristics and

their own distinct potential to provide treatments and cures. We

hope that Members of Congress will dismiss the notion that one kind

of stem cell research obviates the need for the other, and that they

will understand the essential importance of a broad-based approach

to stem cell research. This approach must include meaningful federal

funding for all forms of stem cell research, including the study of

human embryonic stem cells, so that scientists can develop new

treatments and cures from across the spectrum of stem cell

biology. " -- Teitelbaum, M.D.; Wilma and Roswell Messing

Professor of Pathology and Immunology; Washington University in St.

Louis, MO.

Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research

http://www.camradvocacy.org/