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For Immediate Release
August 9, 2004
Edwards Calls for an End to Stem Cell Ban and a Return to Scientific Excellence in America
Call Part of Weeklong, Nationwide Push to Urge President to Stop Putting Politics Ahead of Sound Science
Washington, DC - On the three year anniversary of President George Bush's ban on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, John Edwards pledged that a Kerry-Edwards administration would overturn the ideologically-driven ban as part of its plan to put America back on the path of scientific excellence.
Millions of children and adults suffer from incurable diseases like diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer's, heart disease, cancer and spinal cord injuries - diseases which could one day be cured by stem cell therapy. And yet on August 9, 2001, President Bush blocked researchers from finding treatments for such diseases by enacting a ban on any new stem cell lines created after that date.
John Kerry and John Edwards are committed to scientific research based on fact, not ideology, and in the White House, will encourage the use of science and innovation to meet the challenges of the future, from job creation to medical breakthroughs to strengthening the American economy.
“Today we mark a sad anniversary,” Edwards said. “But our focus isn’t on what happened three years ago - our focus is on what can happen for millions of Americans who have diseases and conditions that one day could be cured or abated by stem-cell therapy. Today is about what we can do to lift those roadblocks and allow science and compassion to do their work.”
Despite the fact that stem cell research holds immense promise for over 100 million suffering Americans and has broad bipartisan support, the Bush administration continues to stand in the way of progress.
John Kerry and John Edwards believe that government should not block discovery, but instead allow researchers to pioneer and push the boundaries of medical exploration, so we can find cures that may exist.
Beyond lifting the current restrictions, Kerry and Edwards will increase funding for embryonic stem cell research at the National Institutes of Health, including creating research grants and training opportunities for young scientists to encourage them to enter this promising field. They will also put in place strict ethical standards for those conducting stem cell research.
“If we have a chance to make progress and cure diseases; if we have new medical breakthroughs that could improve millions of lives—then what’s stopping us?” Edwards said. “It is against our national character to look the other way when people are suffering. It is never easy to head into the unknown. But effort is every thing, and to not do all we can for loved ones who are suffering would be a tragedy. As with most things, there can be no hope without fear. But I know that our best and our brightest can and will achieve so much if given the chance.”
Edwards’ call with reporters kicked off a week of activity across the country by individuals rallying behind the Kerry-Edwards plan to lift the Bush restrictions on stem cell research and restore America’s leadership in science.
Examples include:
- In Oregon, Patricia Backlar, professor of Bioethics at Portland State University, will lead a roundtable of doctors, nurses and family members of patients to discuss how the Bush administration is stymieing potential medical breakthroughs by not supporting stem cell research.
- In North Carolina, leading scientists at the University of North Carolina will join with patients and families at the UNC medical center to show their support for reversing the Bush ban.
- Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle and former Texas Governor Ann Richards will headline events in Wisconsin and Maine respectively to call on the Bush administration to stop playing politics with science.
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JOHN KERRY & JOHN EDWARDS: SUPPORTING STEM CELL RESEARCH TO FIND CURES FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS SUFFERING FROM DEBILITATING DISEASES
Marking the Three Year Anniversary of Bush’s Ban on Stem Cell Research
Today, millions of children and adults suffer from incurable diseases like diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, cancer, and spinal cord injuries. John Kerry and John Edwards believe that we must lift the barriers that stand in the way of science and push the boundaries of medical exploration so researchers can find cures that may exist. Continuing in our nation’s great ethic of discovery, Kerry and Edwards believe that stem cell research holds immense promise for curing or treating these diseases and medical conditions. As president, John Kerry will lift the ideologically-driven restrictions on stem cell research that is impeding progress toward cures for millions of Americans suffering from debilitating diseases.
On August 9th, Kerry and Edwards, as well as Vanessa Kerry and Governor Jeanne Shaheen, will join activists and scientists across the country to mark the 3-year anniversary of President George Bush’s ban on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.
Stem cell research has broad bipartisan support. In June, 58 Senators, including John Kerry and John Edwards, sent George Bush a letter urging him to lift the ideologically-driven restrictions on stem cell research. Fourteen Republicans joined Democrats in sending Bush a loud and clear message, including Orrin Hatch, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, and John McCain. Kerry and Edwards have joined Members from both sides of the aisle to work toward overturning the ban on federal funding of research on new stem cell lines while providing strict ethical oversight as doctors and scientists explore their full potential.
Fewer cell lines available than originally promised. The August 2001 stem cell policy allegedly made available more than 60 suitable stem cell lines to federally funded researchers. However, this claim has proven to be false. Many of the cells have turned out not to be genuine stem cell lines or turned out to have no scientific value. As of today, there are only 19 lines available – less than a third of the number originally promised. Moreover, all of the cells available under the Bush policy were originally grown on what is known as a “feeder layer” of mouse cells, making their therapeutic value uncertain. Only by expanding the policy will federally funded scientists be able to conduct research on uncontaminated stem cells that have the greatest value to patients. Scientists work to develop better techniques for growing and using human stem cells, yet the cell lines made available were all originally developed using techniques that are nearly three years old – a very long time in a fast-moving field like stem cell research.
U.S. losing leadership in stem cell research. Without federal funding, the nation's top researchers at universities, medical schools, and teaching hospitals cannot be part of the work to find new cures and treatments. Other industrialized nations have allowed extensive research on stem cells with strict ethical oversight. Britain in particular has been aggressive in establishing stem cell research programs. Due to the limited opportunities for federally funded stem cell research in this country, many scientists – particularly young scientists – who seek to engage in this research feel constrained to do so overseas.
John Kerry and John Edwards support lifting the ban on stem cell research. Given the enormous promise of stem cells to the development of new treatments for the most devastating diseases, John Kerry and John Edwards believes our medical researchers should be permitted and encouraged to simultaneously pursue embryonic stem cell research. As president, he will overturn the ban on federal funding of research on new stem cell lines, and he will allow doctors and scientists to explore their full potential with the appropriate ethical oversight. Patients and their families should no longer be denied the hope that this new research brings.
www.johnkerry.com
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