Pure Pedantry : Petition for Senators to Back Stem Cells

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Jake Young is a MD/PhD student at Mount Sinai School of Medicine focusing in Neuroscience. He is due to graduate in 2032. He received a BS and a MS in Biological Sciences from Stanford University -- where he spent most of his time drinking heavily and building vegetable catapults instead of learning information that would now be eminently useful. When he is not failing terrifically to perform his sworn duties, he enjoys watching bad movies, ethnic food, and running.

Pure Pedantry is a blog about science -- social sciences and otherwise -- as well as academic and scientific culture. No one can live on science alone, so I also like to dwell on pop culture, periodically explore the humanities, and indulge in other types of geeky goodness.

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DISCLAIMERS: 1) Jake Young is not a licensed physician (yet). He is merely a medical student. The information published on this site is not intended for use in medical decision making. Please seek advice from a licensed, medical professional before making any health decisions. 2) The opinions expressed are my own or those of my co-bloggers. They do not represent the views of SEED magazine or the educational establishments we currently attend.

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Petition for Senators to Back Stem Cells

Category: Science policy
Posted on: July 14, 2006 3:31 PM, by Jake Young

I had wanted to avoid being an activist with this blog, but I think it is important enough when it relates to a directly scientific issue to break that rule.

The Society for Neuroscience has issued a petition request via email asking its members to petition their Senators to vote YES for the current Senate resolution reauthorizing stem cell research. Here is the email:

Support Stem Cell Research Legislation!
On Monday and Tuesday of next week, the Senate will consider bipartisan legislation, called The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (H.R. 810). This bill would expand federally funded embryonic stem cell research. Please contact your Senators today, and urge them to VOTE YES on this legislation.

Visit CapWiz, an on-line legislative action center, provided to you by SfN: www.sfn.org/legalert

Thank you in advance for your participation!

The outcome of stem cell research is admittedly uncertain. It is not clear whether embryonic or adult stem cells will be effective at curing diseases, but this just underlines the necessity of knowing more.

Prohibition of embryonic stem cell research is an unconscionable intrusion of politics into science. It stifles the ability of scientists to learn information that may do good.

If you support the idea that we cannot judge the ethics of embryonic stem cells until we know more about their limitations, then I urge you to contact your Senator and encourage them to vote for the resolution. President Bush has suggested that he may veto it, but the more bipartisan support the resolution has the more difficult that may be for him to do.

If you are a member of the Society, they have provided an automated petition for you to sign here.

For those of you not members of SFN, numerous other web petitions exist. Here is one from Petition Online.

Comments

As a 43-year-old who has lived with Parkinson's Disease for over six years, I've learned that chronic degenerative illness is not for sissies. Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition that brings a slow, unpredictable but irreversible decline of physical and mental abilities. No matter how well you adjust to these declines, the one thing you can depend on is that they will keep coming.

So I do my best to treasure and appreciate the things I still can do while I hope for a cure. People with Parkinson's and other chronic illnesses thrive on hope. Right now most scientists would agree that the best hope for curing Parkinson's Disease is research using embryonic stem cells. This amazing technology could also lead to new treatments or cures for diabetes, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, and many other diseases.

The Senate will finally vote on The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (HR 810) on Tuesday. The bill, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives over a year ago, will expand current policy to allow for federal dollars to be used for stem cell research. It specifies strict ethical guidelines: the stem cells may only be derived from embryos leftover from the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) process (embryos that otherwise would be destroyed!) and the couple must provide written consent.

Recent polls indicate that an overwhelming 72% of the American people support federal funding for stem cell research. PLEASE contact your Senators and let them know how important their support of HR 810 is to you and to millions of Americans and their families.

Posted by: Herb | July 16, 2006 12:25 AM