ISSCR Letter in Support of S5

Honorable Senator
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

April 4, 2007

Dear Senator:

As representatives of the Board of Directors of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), we are writing to urge you in the strongest possible terms to support passage of S. 5, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007.

Passage of S. 5 would ensure that scientists in the United States can use Federal grant funds to study the many valuable human embryonic stem cell lines that have been developed since August 9, 2001, the date that President Bush announced his stem cell research policy. Indeed, S. 5 is the surest means to accelerate research dedicated to finding better therapies for patients suffering from a wide variety of terrible diseases.

As the primary international organization of scientific, ethical, and clinical researchers in the field of stem cell biology, ISSCR speaks for our many members who study stem cells of all types. S. 5 is consistent with long-standing scientific and ethical positions of ISSCR.

Our scientific opinion is that research on stem cells of all types should be pursued with the goals of reducing human suffering and better understanding human physiology. S. 5 also includes safeguards to ensure that appropriate research practices are followed.

Our strong support of S. 5 is based on the newest research findings presented at our last annual international meeting in Toronto, Canada. New data presented at this meeting demonstrated that many of the human embryonic stem cell lines generated since August 9, 2001 have excellent characteristics, and appear to have substantial advantages for high quality and rigorous biomedical research.

You might hear during the debate about a list of 72 conditions that can supposedly be treated with adult stem cells. We urge you to question the validity of these claims. While adult stem cell therapies are powerful, they are not as wide-ranging as claimed. The range of diseases effectively treated with adult stem cells is still extremely restricted, largely limited to blood disorders and specific cancers. A vote for S. 5 will ensure that all avenues of stem cell research are adequately explored.

We are also concerned that S. 30, a bill introduced by Senators Coleman and Isakson, will siphon votes away from S. 5 and yet not adequately advance the cause of stem cell research. S. 30 will not allow the use of federal funds to study the majority of valuable human stem cell lines. If supported instead of S. 5, Senators Coleman and Isakson’s bill would continue the inadequate American Federal policy that is delaying worldwide progress in this vital area of research.

In closing, we remind you that the welfare of millions of people worldwide depends on medical research that can help alleviate the suffering caused by injury and illness. Passage of S. 5 will help to meet this scientific and medical challenge and will also send a message of hope to the many American patients that could be helped by research with new stem cell lines.

Thank you for your attention to this pressing issue. We look forward to a change in American Federal policy so that the very best scientific and clinical research may proceed.

Sincerely,

Posted: June 8, 2007