AAMC's Letter to Senators Specter and Harkin on Stem Cell Research Legislation
[The AAMC also has written a letter
to President Bush in support of the federal funding of embryonic
stem cell research. The Coalition
for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR) can provide
additional information on efforts to maintain federal funding
for stem cell research. The Coalition is an organization of
universities, scientific and academic societies, patients’
organizations, and other entities that are devoted to ensuring
that federal funding will be available for stem cell research
using fertilized eggs developed for in vitro fertilization
and that the current federal guidelines overseeing the research
are retained. The AAMC is a charter member of the Coalition
and serves on its board of directors.]
May 17, 2001
The Honorable Arlen Specter
The Honorable Tom Harkin
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senators Specter and Harkin:
On behalf of the Association of American Medical Colleges,
I am pleased to endorse your legislation, S.
723, The Stem Cell Research Act of 2001. The Association
believes that the current National Institutes of Health (NIH)
guidelines,
which enable scientists to conduct stem cell research under
strict federal oversight and standards, should remain in effect,
as your legislation would ensure. The discovery of human pluripotent
stem cells is a significant research advance and Federal support
to American researchers is essential to translate this discovery
into innovative therapies for a range of serious and intractable
diseases.
The therapeutic potential of pluripotent stem cells is remarkable
- arguably more remarkable than any previous advance in the
history of medical science. These cells have the unique potential
to differentiate into any human cell type and offer real hope
of life-affirming treatments for diabetes, damaged heart tissue,
arthritis, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, ALS and spinal cord injuries,
to name but a few examples. There is also the possibility
that these cells could be used to create more complex, vital
organs, such as kidneys, livers, or even hearts.
We recognize the significant ethical issues that are raised
about embryonic stem cell research and we respect the view
of those who oppose such research, including some in our own
medical school community. However, the AAMC is persuaded otherwise
by what we believe is an equally compelling ethical consideration,
namely, that it would be tragic to waste the unique potential
afforded by embryonic stem cells, destined to be discarded
in any case, to alleviate human suffering and enhance the
quality of human life.
Therefore, we support your legislation, S. 723, which would
allow the NIH to use federal funding to derive stem cells
and use them in research. We look forward to working with
you on any and all legislative initiatives that would enable
NIH to fund human embryonic stem cell research.
Once again, thank you for your leadership on this issue,
and we look forward to working with you this year to enact
human embryonic stem cell research legislation.
Sincerely
Jordan J. Cohen, M.D.
President, AAMC
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