Local Impact of Stem Cell Announcement

President Barack Obama’s announcement of expanded federal funding for embryonic stem cell research could impact millions of Americans suffering from conditions like Parkinson’s Disease and spinal cord injuries.

Some groups hope the administration’s renewed focus on stem cell research will lead the way to a cure for these devastating diseases.

Alexis Proctor, 18, was diagnosed with lupus last fall.

“My joints hurt, and sometimes like right now it’s kinda hard for me to breathe,“ she says.

The disease is attacking her kidneys and forcing her to deal with chemotherapy and a dozen medications.

“Ten, or eleven, or twelve a day now, like it’s a lot of medicine, and I have to take insulin at night,“ says Alexis.

Alexis and her family are hopeful that more federal funding for embryonic stem cell research will help her.

“I can’t wait because I know that I’m not the only one in this predicament, and I’m not the only one going through this,“ she says.

“This is all new for us, so I’ll be more than happy with anything that we can do,“ says her mother Amelia.

But not everyone is enthusiastic.

“I’m fifth generation.. My father died from Alzheimer’s, my grandfather and my great great grandfather,“ says Lynn Page.  Her father died in 2005.

“He was a doctor, very intelligent man, and to see him just waste away… He didn’t recognize any of us, didn’t know any of our names.“

But stem cell research is not a priority for the Alzheimer’s Association, because the group says any benefit for Alzheimer’s sufferers would not be in the near future.

But Page hopes the extra attention from stem cell research will help their cause.

“We’re encouraged that President Obama is at least looking into science and is willing to direct, hopefully direct, more funding into looking for more research,“ she says.

Representatives from the American Diabetes Association say it’s a great day for people with diabetes, and they’ve long advocated ending these restrictions on stem cell research.

The following was released by the American Diabetes Association.

Alexandria, VA (March 9, 2009) — The American Diabetes Association applauds President Obama for issuing an Executive Order that will advance stem cell research by lifting existing restrictions on the use of embryonic stem cells, while maintaining strict ethical guidelines.

“The ethical use of stem cell research holds the promise of accelerating medical advancements in many fields. This brings hope to the nearly 24 million American adults and children with diabetes who face its many complications including heart disease, amputation, and blindness. Diabetes is also deadly – it is a leading cause of death in the United States,“ said R. Paul Robertson, MD, President Medicine & Science, American Diabetes Association.

The American Diabetes Association has long been a strong advocate for ending the current restrictions on stem cell research.

“As a person with type 1 diabetes, I’m encouraged by President Obama’s decisive action on advancing this very important area of research that has the potential for finding a cure for diabetes and so many other devastating diseases,“ said George Huntley, CPA, Chair, American Diabetes Association.

The following was released by the Alzheimer’s Association.

Statement Regarding Human Stem Cell Research

There is great enthusiasm in the scientific community for the potential of human stem cell research to lead to better treatments or perhaps even a cure for certain diseases. At this time, human stem cell research offers the most immediate hope in the fight against type 1 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and spinal cord injury, where cell repair can be narrowly directed to a defined target.

While some researchers believe stem cell research may one day help people with Alzheimer’s disease, they generally feel that such a day is far off in the future. Several issues complicate the applicability of stem cell treatments to Alzheimer’s. For example:

• Alzheimer’s disease is highly complex and the related cell damage spreads to large areas of the brain as the disease progresses. The potential of stem cell therapy to correct this widespread destruction is unclear and will require longer-term investigation.

• While newly implanted cells may be able to process and create new memories, they would not have the extensive network of connections built up over a lifetime by older cells nor would they retain previously stored memories.

Nonetheless, the Alzheimer’s Association’s policy, adopted in June 2004 by the national Board of Directors, states that: “In keeping with its mission to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease, the Alzheimer’s Association opposes any restriction or limitation on human stem cell research, provided that appropriate scientific review, and ethical and oversight guidelines are in place.”

The Alzheimer’s Association’s goal is to eradicate Alzheimer’s through the advancement of research. We therefore support any legitimate scientific avenue that offers the potential to advance this goal within appropriate boundaries. That said, human stem cell research is not a current research priority for the Alzheimer’s Association.

Promising areas of Alzheimer’s disease research today include:

• Understanding the role of amyloid in the brain.

• Risk factors related to genetics and lifestyle.

• Risk factors related to cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders.

• Therapies to slow or stop the progression of the disease.

• Brain imaging for early diagnosis and improving drug testing.

- Adopted by the Alzheimer’s Association National Board of Directors on June 2004