Patients Elated by Stem Cell Research Advances

Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research Urges Congress to Strongly Support Both Embryonic and Adult Stem Cell Research

Washington, DC -- June 20, 2002 -- The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR) applauded today's joint announcement by Dr. Ronald McKay and Dr. Catherine Verfaillie on their recent studies involving embryonic and adult stem cell research, published in Nature. The Coalition, comprised of leading patient groups, universities, and scientific societies, led the charge to support federal funding of stem cell research and has led the efforts opposing a ban on therapeutic cloning.

These two studies further prove how critical it is to provide strong federal support to stem cell research, said Michael Manganiello, President of CAMR. Exciting avenues of research are developing at a phenomenal pace. If embryonic stem cell research had been banned in the U.S., like many in Congress are trying to do with therapeutic cloning, this important work would never have come to fruition.

According to Dr. Ronald McKay of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, his study, published in the advance online publication of Nature (June 23, 2002), is one of the first to show that embryonic stem cells can develop into neurons that function in the brain. His work shows that mouse embryonic stem cells can be used to treat Parkinson's disease in animal models. From cultured ES cells, Dr. McKay's team generated a large supply of neurons that produce dopamine. When transplanted into the brains of rats with damaged dopamine neurons, the neurons functioned normally and the rats showed signs of recovery in behavioral tests.

According to Dr. Catherine Verfaillie of the University of Minnesota's Stem Cell Institute, whose study was published in the advance online report of Nature on June 20, 2002, for the first time there is evidence to show that cells derived from adult bone marrow can differentiate in vitro and in vivo into cells of all three embryonic germ layers. But Verfaillie cautions that while adult stem cells may hold therapeutic promise, a large number of studies are still required to fully characterize the potential of multipotent adult progenitor cells, and a side by side comparison of adult and embryonic stem cells must be done to determine which are most useful in treating a particular disease.

Allowing scientists to pursue medical research unencumbered by politics, but with clear federal oversight and guidelines, is critical. Patients and their families continue to demand that all promising avenues of research be aggressively explored, added Manganiello.

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. For more information on CAMR, visit the website: www.camradvocacy.org.