More info on Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT)

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

This article was in Yahoo news today. It is a possible cure for brain

disorders like PD, MSA and others as well as juvenile diabetes and

severed nerves.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/020403/180/1cir9.html

Patient Advocates, Researchers Launch

Nationwide Ad Campaign to Support

" Therapeutic Cloning " (Somatic Cell Nuclear

Transfer)

Wed Apr 3, 1:48 PM ET

To: National Desk, Health Reporter

Contact: Maggie Goldberg for the Coalition for

the Advancement of Medical Research,

Ext. 115

WASHINGTON, April 3 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The

Coalition for the Advancement of Medical

Research (CAMR) today launched a national

advertising campaign to support Somatic Cell Nuclear

Transfer (SCNT), promising new medical research

sometimes called " therapeutic cloning. "

" We are very proud to be able to educate the

American public and United States Congress with this

campaign, " said Manganiello, President

of CAMR, which is sponsoring the campaign. " These

ads cut through the scare tactics of SCNT

opponents and help clear up the myths. "

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on a bill

banning SCNT in April or May. In the first phase of the

campaign, during the Congressional recess, CAMR

is buying radio and print ads in major cities in the

home states of key Senators. CAMR plans to

expand the reach of the ads, and include television ads

before the Senate vote.

" We urge Senators not to deny hope to millions

of people with life-threatening diseases, and to listen to

those for whom SCNT could be a matter of life

and death, " said Reeve, Chairman of the

Reeve Paralysis Foundation, a member

of CAMR. " These ads explain that SCNT

produces stem cells, not babies, using the

patient's own DNA, not sperm. "

The ads present the voices and faces of some of

the 100 million Americans who could be helped by

SCNT -- men, women and children with spinal cord

injury, ALS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Rett

syndrome, cancer, AIDS (news - web sites),

diabetes and many more conditions for which there is

now no cure.

" It's hard to believe the Senate is actually

considering putting people in jail for doing life-saving

research, " said Kris Gulden, a paralyzed former

police officer featured in the radio ads. " SCNT has

nothing to do with copying human beings and

everything to do with generating stem cells that can be

used to treat life-threatening medical

conditions. And it's strongly supported by the National Academy

of Sciences (news - web sites). "

" For me, this is all about the hope of finding

new treatments and cures for millions of children who

suffer every day, " said Coenraads whose

daughter, Chelsea, is featured in the print ads.

Chelsea has Rett Syndrome, an incurable genetic

disorder that prevents her from walking, talking, or

using her hands.

Copies of the print ads and a radio script are

attached. For an MP3 version of the radio ad, please

visit www.camradvocacy.org.

--- TRANSCRIPT OF RADIO AD

My name is Kris Gulden. I'm a former police

officer and triathlete.

Due to a spinal cord injury, I'm now in a wheel

chair. In my dreams I still walk and run. And I wake up

every morning hoping for a cure.

I'm sure someone close to you -- someone with

Parkinson's or Alzheimer's or diabetes does too.

But now we have hope, thanks to a new kind of

medical research, called somatic cell nuclear transfer

-- or SCNT. Some people call it therapeutic

cloning, although it has nothing to do with copying human

beings.

SCNT produces stem cells that can be used to

treat life-threatening medical conditions. And it's

strongly supported by the National Academy of

Sciences.

But the U.S. Senate is considering a ban on SCNT

-- even though it could help people you know. And

someday it might help you.

So call your Senators today. Tell them to

support SCNT and the hope it could bring to a 100 million

afflicted Americans, like me dreaming for a

cure.

Paid for by the Coalition for the Advancement of

Medical Research.

--- TEXT OF PRINT AD

EDITOR'S NOTE: Text is accompanied by photo

(child in walker). For a copy of the full ad, or the

accompanying photo, please contact Maggie

Goldberg of the Reeve Paralysis Foundation

at .

Her Dream Is To Walk Again. Her Nightmare Is

That Politicians Will Stand In Her Way.

Millions of Americans who suffer from incurable

medical conditions such as spinal cord injury,

Alzheimer's disease (news - web sites), Rett

syndrome, cancer and diabetes have new hope. It's called

somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) -- also

known as " therapeutic cloning. "

SCNT is fundamentally different from human

reproductive cloning. SCNT produces stem cells to treat

disease. SCNT does not produce babies.

The nation's leading medical scientists --

including the National Academy of Sciences -- and major

patient advocacy organizations oppose human

reproductive cloning -- but strongly support SCNT as a

way to develop therapies and cures for the

millions of Americans who suffer from life-threatening

disease.

However, the U.S. Senate is considering a ban on

SCNT that would stop this hope dead in its tracks.

The ban would not only outlaw vital research and

jail scientists searching for cures, but it could also

imprison patients who go abroad to seek

treatment and therapy not provided in America.

Don't let politics deny hope.

Please call and urge your Senator

to support somatic cell nuclear transfer.

------ The Coalition for the Advancement of

Medical Research (CAMR), is comprised of

nationally-recognized patient organizations,

universities, scientific societies, foundations, and individuals

with life-threatening illnesses and disorders,

advocating for the advancement of breakthrough research

and technologies in regenerative medicine --

including stem cell research and somatic cell nuclear

transfer -- in order to cure disease and

alleviate suffering.

http://www.usnewswire.com/