[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 33 (Wednesday, March 22, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H1250]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STEM CELL RESEARCH HELPS US FURTHER UNDERSTAND CERTAIN MEDICAL
CONDITIONS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney of New York) is recognized for
5 minutes.
Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, last week, there was a hearing
before the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment of the Committee
on Commerce concerning fetal tissue. Though the hearing was purported
to be about alleged abuses involving fetal tissue for medical research,
I believe it was an attempt by antichoice Members to try to stop
lifesaving research involving fetal tissue and stem cells.
Mr. Speaker, I have introduced House Resolution 414 in a bipartisan
manner with the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) and many
others to allow Federal funding of human pluripotent stem cell research
to help us further understand Parkinson's Disease and other medical
conditions.
I am asking for no specific amount of money nor to direct disease-
specific research. I am only asking that Federal money be allowed to be
used to utilize the next best chance science has to not only treat, but
to cure debilitating and life-threatening illnesses that afflict
millions of Americans.
Many people have been confusing human pluripotent stem cell research
with human embryo research. Stem cells are not embryos. There is now a
ban on the use of Federal funds for human embryo research in the United
States. Stem cells cannot develop into a complete human being and
therefore, under the law, they are not embryos. Stem cells are a type
of cell that can be turned into almost any type of cell or tissue in
the body. With further research, these cells can be used as replacement
cells and tissues to treat many diseases, including Parkinson's
Disease, Alzheimer's, Diabetes, AIDS, Lou Gehrig's Disease, and many
others.
Stem cell research holds hope of one day being able to treat brain
injury, spinal cord injury and stroke for which there is currently no
treatment available. They may solve the problem of the body's reaction
to foreign tissue, resulting in dramatic improvements in the treatment
of a number of life-threatening conditions, such as burns and kidney
failure, for which transplantation is currently used.
Mr. Speaker, my resolution, House Resolution 414, discusses
Parkinson's Disease in particular for many reasons. My family has been
personally affected by this devastating illness, and I am proud to
serve as cochair of the congressional working group on Parkinson's
Disease. However, it is science that makes the best argument to lead
with this disease.
With all that is already known about Parkinson's Disease, it is
believed that with Federal funds and stem cell research, it is very
possible that Parkinson's Disease could not only be treatable, but
curable within as little as 5 years.
Dr. Gerald Fischbach, the Director of the National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke, said last year in the Senate, and I
quote, ``I concur that we are close to solving, and I mean the word
`solving,' Parkinson's Disease. I hesitate to put an actual year or
number on it. I think with all the intensive effort, with a little bit
of skill and luck, 5 to 10 years is not unrealistic. We will do
everything possible to reduce that below 5 years. I would not rule that
out.''
Mr. Speaker, here is why that is possible. Parkinson's Disease is a
progressive degenerative brain disease which kills a specialized and
vital type of brain cell, a cell which produces the substance dopamine,
that is essential for normal development and balance. The loss of these
dopamine-producing cells causes symptoms, including slowness and
paucity of movement, tremors, stiffness and difficulty walking and
balancing, which makes the sufferer unable to carry out the normal
activities of daily living.
In 30 percent of the cases, those symptoms include dementia. As the
disease progresses, it inflicts horrific physical, emotional, and
financial burdens on the patient and family, requiring the care-giver
to assist in the activities of daily living and may eventually lead to
placement in a nursing home until death. With further research into
stem cells, scientists will be able to reprogram the stem cells into
the dopamine-producing cells which are lost in Parkinson's Disease.
Parkinson's Disease affects at least 1 million Americans. Fifty
thousand are diagnosed each year, and for every one diagnosed, two who
have Parkinson's Disease are not diagnosed. It is alarming to think
that 2 million Americans with Parkinson's Disease are undiagnosed.
Parkinson's Disease costs the Federal Government approximately $10
billion in health care costs and, on an average, the cost per patient
is 5,000 per year.
As a society, we spend $15 billion a year on Parkinson's disease and
that is only in direct costs for treatments that only bring temporary
relief.
Building on the technology developed from research on Parkinson's
disease makes treatments and even cures possible for many conditions.
These include Alzheimer's, diabetes, AIDS, Lou Gehrig's, brain injury,
spinal cord injury, stroke, and problems with the body's reaction to
foreign tissue.
It may even provide for safer and more effective ways to test drugs
without experimenting on humans and animals.
We cannot allow the opportunities afforded us by stem cell research
to go untapped!
The National Institutes of Health has proposed guidelines to human
stem cell research to address the legal and ethical issues surrounding
this particular type of research.
It is being approached in a responsible way to utilize the technology
while being sensitive to the ethical questions raised.
The National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC) even felt they
could have gone further and is very supportive of allowing this type of
research to continue with Federal funding.
The NBAC points out that Federally funding this research will allow
Federal oversight to ensure this type of research continues ethically.
And finally, the American people support stem cell research as shown
by a nationwide survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation
International last year that found that 74% of those polled favored
funding of stem cell research by NIH.
Federal funds are crucial to allow scientists to proceed with stem
cell research and to exploit fully this novel, innovative, and ground-
breaking technology.
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