Re: Support Stem Cell Research

[Guest guest]

I will start calling and/or getting letters off today and let us all Pray that

all this works. Thank you very much for the opportunity to try and help on this

matter. Dolores

B maxrules@...> wrote:If you're so inclined, please either write or

call your congressperson - or click on the links to send a pre-written letter,

which you can still also add to.

A lot of the House members are already co-sponsors, but it's still close.

http://www.researchamerica.org/advocacy/

B

[Guest guest]

Embryonic stem cell research has been a dead end, and adult-derived

autologous stem cell research has been much more productive without

ethical issues (see past Quest issues).

It's a shame that so many non-scientists, and unethical scientists,

jump on the " only embryonic stem cells can cure my loved one's

disease " bandwagon, without knowing the difference between embryonic

stem cells and adult-derived stem cells.

Please, before you email your congressman/woman, read about adult-

derived stem cell research, including that by the MDA, and then make

up your mind whether embryonic stem cell research is necessary at

this time...

Take care,

RH

If you're so inclined, please either

write or call your congressperson - or click on the links to send a

pre-written letter, which you can still also add to.

>

> A lot of the House members are already co-sponsors, but it's still

close.

>

> http://www.researchamerica.org/advocacy/

>

> B

>

>

[Guest guest]

Not trying to let everyone know how much I don't know about things but, which

stem cell research was Reagan's family pushing so hard, what is the

difference, where/when did the adult derived stem cells come to light and last

but not least where does a person go to

find info on " Quest " ? Thanks, Dolores

ohgminion rakshasis@...> wrote:

Embryonic stem cell research has been a dead end, and adult-derived

autologous stem cell research has been much more productive without

ethical issues (see past Quest issues).

It's a shame that so many non-scientists, and unethical scientists,

jump on the " only embryonic stem cells can cure my loved one's

disease " bandwagon, without knowing the difference between embryonic

stem cells and adult-derived stem cells.

Please, before you email your congressman/woman, read about adult-

derived stem cell research, including that by the MDA, and then make

up your mind whether embryonic stem cell research is necessary at

this time...

Take care,

RH

If you're so inclined, please either

write or call your congressperson - or click on the links to send a

pre-written letter, which you can still also add to.

>

> A lot of the House members are already co-sponsors, but it's still

close.

>

> http://www.researchamerica.org/advocacy/

>

> B

>

>

[Guest guest]

Quest article:

http://www.mdausa.org/publications/Quest/q91stemcell.cfm

(the article also describes some differences between adult-derived

and embryonic)

http://mdatest.mdausa.org/publications/Quest/q101steroids.cfm

(end portion)

Other articles:

http://ajp.amjpathol.org/cgi/content/abstract/158/6/1929

http://ajp.amjpathol.org/cgi/content/full/165/1/135

http://www.orthopedictechreview.com/issues/sepoct01/pg28.htm

http://unisci.com/stories/20022/0531021.htm

NIH's page about current stem cell research:

http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp

MDA doesn't appear to be passing judgement on embryonic versus adult-

derived stem cells - research currently on embryonic stem cells in

the U.S. is limited to cell lines - that is, the embryos that they

are from are long gone, and therefore could never become a human. I

just think it is unethical and of dubious scientific basis to remove

limits from this type of research (embryonic stem cells from

undamaged embryos) before we know how to regulate it.

An example argument against adult-derived stem cell use (from Time

magazine):

> Why Not Just Use Adult Stem Cells?

> Republican Senator Sam Brownback, believes a " wonderful " compromise

> for Bush would be to increase greatly funding for research on adult

> stem cells, which are harvested from bone marrow and brain tissue

> and have begun to show some of the same potential as those derived

> from embryos. But scientists aren't so sure. It's not yet clear

> whether adult stem cells will prove as versatile as embryonic ones,

> particularly in developing cures for Parkinson's disease and

> diabetes. Researchers also note that it is more difficult to

> produce large quantities of adult stem cells, and fear they may

> lose their potency over time.

BTW, I am an agnostic, so this isn't a religious argument, it's a

scientific argument that non-autologous (from an individual that is

not related or not the same person) stem cells are a dead end, and

people should be encouraged to bank umbilical cord blood and research

on that and adult-derived stem cells be overwhelmingly favored over

even existing embryonic stem cell lines.

I am paying about $100 per year to bank my daughter's cord blood, in

addition to the $1K initial fee. If she gets leukemia, that cord

blood will save her life - shouldn't every child have that

opportunity (which is currently scientifically available)? Stem

cells from her cord blood may even be used to treat my mitochondrial

disease in the future(!)

Take care,

RH

If you're so inclined, please

either

> write or call your congressperson - or click on the links to send a

> pre-written letter, which you can still also add to.

> >

> > A lot of the House members are already co-sponsors, but it's

still

> close.

> >

> > http://www.researchamerica.org/advocacy/

> >

> > B

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the info. Dolores

ohgminion rakshasis@...> wrote:Quest article:

http://www.mdausa.org/publications/Quest/q91stemcell.cfm

(the article also describes some differences between adult-derived

and embryonic)

http://mdatest.mdausa.org/publications/Quest/q101steroids.cfm

(end portion)

Other articles:

http://ajp.amjpathol.org/cgi/content/abstract/158/6/1929

http://ajp.amjpathol.org/cgi/content/full/165/1/135

http://www.orthopedictechreview.com/issues/sepoct01/pg28.htm

http://unisci.com/stories/20022/0531021.htm

NIH's page about current stem cell research:

http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp

MDA doesn't appear to be passing judgement on embryonic versus adult-

derived stem cells - research currently on embryonic stem cells in

the U.S. is limited to cell lines - that is, the embryos that they

are from are long gone, and therefore could never become a human. I

just think it is unethical and of dubious scientific basis to remove

limits from this type of research (embryonic stem cells from

undamaged embryos) before we know how to regulate it.

An example argument against adult-derived stem cell use (from Time

magazine):

> Why Not Just Use Adult Stem Cells?

> Republican Senator Sam Brownback, believes a " wonderful " compromise

> for Bush would be to increase greatly funding for research on adult

> stem cells, which are harvested from bone marrow and brain tissue

> and have begun to show some of the same potential as those derived

> from embryos. But scientists aren't so sure. It's not yet clear

> whether adult stem cells will prove as versatile as embryonic ones,

> particularly in developing cures for Parkinson's disease and

> diabetes. Researchers also note that it is more difficult to

> produce large quantities of adult stem cells, and fear they may

> lose their potency over time.

BTW, I am an agnostic, so this isn't a religious argument, it's a

scientific argument that non-autologous (from an individual that is

not related or not the same person) stem cells are a dead end, and

people should be encouraged to bank umbilical cord blood and research

on that and adult-derived stem cells be overwhelmingly favored over

even existing embryonic stem cell lines.

I am paying about $100 per year to bank my daughter's cord blood, in

addition to the $1K initial fee. If she gets leukemia, that cord

blood will save her life - shouldn't every child have that

opportunity (which is currently scientifically available)? Stem

cells from her cord blood may even be used to treat my mitochondrial

disease in the future(!)

Take care,

RH

If you're so inclined, please

either

> write or call your congressperson - or click on the links to send a

> pre-written letter, which you can still also add to.

> >

> > A lot of the House members are already co-sponsors, but it's

still

> close.

> >

> > http://www.researchamerica.org/advocacy/

> >

> > B

> >

> >