[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 52 (Thursday, May 4, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4005-S4006]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STEM CELLS
Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, another topic I will discuss is
embryonic stem cell and adult stem cell research. I will show two books
because we have a lot going on regarding stem cells and in stem cell
research.
I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a chart on
Federal funding of stem cell research.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
U.S. FEDERAL TAXPAYER FUNDING TOTAL NIH STEM CELL RESEARCH FY 2002-FY 2006
[Dollars in millions]**
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FY 2002 Actual FY 2003 Actual FY 2004 Actual FY 2005 Actual
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Non Non Non Non
embryonic Embryonic Total embryonic Embryonic Total embryonic Embryonic Total embryonic Embryonic Total
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Human, subtotal............................. 170.9 10.1 181.0 190.7 20.3 211.0 203.2 24.3 227.5 199.4 39.6 239.0
Nonhuman, subtotal.......................... 134.1 71.5 205.5 192.1 113.5* 305.6 235.7 89.3* 325.0 273.2 97.0 370.2
NIH, total.................................. 305.0 81.6 386.6 382.9 133.8* 516.6 439.0 113.6* 552.5 472.5 136.7 609.2
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*Decrease from FY03 to FY04 is the result of a change in methodology used to collect nonhuman embryonic funding figures. This methodology change also contributed to an increase in nonhuman non-
embryonic.
**Numbers may not add due to rounding.
Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, noting for the record the actual
spending in 2005 on embryonic stem cell research, the U.S. Federal
Government spent nearly $40 million on human embryonic stem cell
research. We spent $97 million on nonhuman embryonic stem cell
research, for a total of $136 million the Federal Government spent on
embryonic stem cell research.
That is a fair investment. We also spent $472 million in
nonembryonic. What did we get for $136 million in embryonic stem cell
research? Here is the folder that contains the human clinical trials of
embryonic stem cell research in humans, treating and healing humans.
This is the list of research results we have from a nearly $40 million
Federal investment last year of human clinical trials with embryonic
stem cell research. This is research where a young, embryonic human
life is destroyed and stem cells harvested and taken out and applied.
I note that this folder is empty. This is the list of research
results we have from embryonic stem cell research on humans.
We also invested in adult and cord blood stem cell research. The cord
between the mother and child is rich in stem cells that can be used in
a lot of treatment areas, along with adult stem cells. You have stem
cells in your body and I have them in my mine. They are akin to a
repair kit.
I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the listing of
69 different human illnesses being treated by adult and cord blood stem
cells.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
69 Current Human Clinical Applications Using Adult Stem Cells
ANEMIAS & OTHER BLOOD CONDITIONS
Sickle cell anemia, sideroblastic anemia, aplastic anemia,
red cell aplasia (failure of red blood cell development),
amegakaryocytic thrombocytopeia, thalassemia (genetic
[inherited] disorders all of which involve underproduction of
hemoglobin), primary amyloidosis (a disorder of plasma
cells), diamond blackfan anemia, Fanconi's anemia, chronic
Epstein-Barr infection (similar to mono)
AUTO-IMMUNE DISEASES
Systemic lupus (auto-immune condition that can affect skin,
heart, lungs, kidneys, joints, and nervous system), Sjogren's
syndrome (autoimmune disease w/symptoms similar to
arthritis), myasthenia (an autoimmune neuromuscular
disorder), autoimmune cytopenia, scleromyxedema (skin
condition), scleroderma (skin disorder), Crohn's disease
(chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines), Behcet's
disease, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile arthritis, multiple
sclerosis, polychondritis (chronic disorder of the
cartilage), systemic vasculitis (inflammation of the blood
vessels), alopecia universalis, Buerger's disease (limb
vessel constriction, inflammation)
CANCERS
Brain tumors--medulloblastoma and glioma, retinoblastoma
(cancer), ovarian cancer, skin cancer: Merkel cell carcinoma,
testicular cancer, lymphoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma,
Hodgkin's lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute
myelogenous leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, juvenile
myelomonocytic leukemia, cancer of the lymph nodes:
angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy
Multiple myeloma (cancer affecting white blood cells of the
immune system), myelodysplasia (bone marrow disorder), breast
cancer, neuroblastoma (childhood cancer of the nervous
system), renal cell carcinoma (cancer of the kidney), soft
tissue sarcoma (malignant tumor that begins in the muscle,
fat, fibrous tissue, blood vessels), various solid tumors,
Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (type of lymphoma),
hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, POEMS syndrome
(osteosclerotic myeloma), myelofibrosis
CARDIOVASCULAR
Acute heart damage, chronic coronary artery disease
IMMUNODEFICIENCIES
Severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome, X-linked
lymphoproliferative syndrome, X-linked hyper immunoglobulin M
syndrome
LIVER DISEASE
Chronic liver failure
NEURAL DEGENERATIVE DISEASES & INJURIES
Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, stroke damage
OCULAR
Corneal regeneration
WOUNDS & INJURIES
Limb gangrene, surface wound healing, jawbone replacement,
skull bone repair
[[Page S4006]]
OTHER METABOLIC DISORDERS
Sandhoff disease (hereditary genetic disorder), Hurler's
syndrome (hereditary genetic disorder), osteogenesis
imperfecta (bone/cartilage disorder), Krabbe leukodystrophy
(hereditary genetic disorder), osteopetrosis (genetic bone
disorder), cerebral X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy
Adult & Non-Embryonic
Stem Cell Research
Advances & Updates for April 2006
Highlight of the Month--Stem Cell Hope for Liver Patients:
British doctors reported treatment of 5 patients with liver
failure with the patients' own adult stem cells. Four of the
5 patients showed improvement, and 2 patients regained near
normal liver function. The authors noted: ``Liver
transplantation is the only current therapeutic modality for
liver failure but it is available to only a small proportion
of patients due to the shortage of organ donors. Adult stem
cell therapy could solve the problem of degenerative
disorders, including liver disease, in which organ
transplantation is inappropriate or there is a shortage of
organ donors.''--Stem Cells Express, Mar. 30, 2006
ADVANCES IN HUMAN TREATMENTS USING ADULT STEM CELLS
Buerger's Disease: Scientists in Korea using adult stem
cell treatments showed significant improvement in the limbs
of patients with Buerger's disease, where blood vessels are
blocked and inflamed, eventually leading to tissue
destruction and gangrene in the limb. Out of 27 patients
there was a 79% positive response rate and improvement in the
limbs, including the healing of previously non-healing
ulcers.--Stem Cells Express, Jan. 26, 2006
Bladder Disease: Doctors at Wake Forest constructed new
bladders for 7 patients with bladder disease, using the
patients' own progenitor cells grown on an artificial
framework in the laboratory. When implanted back into the
patients, the tissue-engineered bladders appeared to function
normally and improved the patients' conditions. ``This
suggests that tissue engineering may one day be a solution to
the shortage of donor organs in this country for those
needing transplants,'' said Dr. Anthony Atala, the lead
researcher.--The Lancet, Apr. 4, 2006; reported by the AP,
Apr. 4, 2006
Lupus: Adult Stem Cell Transplant Offers Promise for Severe
Lupus--Dr. Richard Burt of Northwestern Memorial Hospital is
pioneering new research that uses a patient's own adult stem
cells to treat extremely severe cases of lupus and other
autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid
arthritis. In a recent study of 50 patients with lupus, the
treatment with the patients' adult stem cells resulted in
stabilization of the disease or even improvement of previous
organ damage, and greatly increased survival of patients.
``We bring the patient in, and we give them chemo to destroy
their immune system,'' Dr. Burt said. ``And then right after
the chemotherapy, we infuse the stems cells to make a brand-
new immune system.''--ABC News, Apr. 11, 2006; Journal of the
American Medical Assn, Feb. 1, 2006
Cancer: Bush policy may help cure cancer--``Unlike
embryonic stem cells . . . cancer stem cells are mutated
forms of adult stem cells. . . . Interest in the [adult stem
cell] field is growing rapidly, thanks in part,
paradoxically, to President George W. Bush's restrictions on
embryonic-stem-cell research. Some of the federal funds that
might otherwise have gone to embryonic stem cells could be
finding their way into cancer [adult]-stem-cell studies.''--
Time: Stem Cells that Kill, Apr. 17, 2006
Heart: Adult stem cells may inhibit remodeling and make the
heart pump better and more efficiently. Researchers in
Pittsburgh have shown that adding a patient's adult stem
cells along with bypass surgery can give significant
improvement for those with chronic heart failure. Ten
patients treated with their own bone marrow adult stem cells
improved well beyond patients who had only standard bypass
surgery. In addition, scientists in Arkansas and Boston
administered the protein G-CSF to advanced heart failure
patients, to activate the patients' bone marrow adult stem
cells, and found significant heart improvement 9 months after
the treatment.--Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular
Surgery, Dec, 2005; American Journal of Cardiology, Mar.,
2006
Stroke: Mobilizing adult stem cells helps stroke patients--
Researchers in Taiwan have shown that mobilizing a stroke
patient's bone marrow adult stem cells can improve recovery.
Seven stroke patients were given injections of a protein--G-
CSF--that encourages bone marrow stem cells to leave the
marrow and enter the bloodstream. From there, they home in on
damaged brain tissue and stimulate repair. The 7 patients
showed significantly greater improvement after stroke than
patients receiving standard care.--Canadian Medical
Association Journal Mar. 3, 2006
Mr. BROWNBACK. What did we get for our research investment in adult
and cord blood in human clinical trials? This is the folder--it is
getting heavy--of what we have discovered in human clinical trials with
adult and cord blood stem cell research; real people being treated for
real diseases such as bladder disease, lupus, cancer, heart, strokes,
immunodeficiency areas, liver disease, neuro degenerative diseases,
ocular, wounds and injuries, autoimmune diseases, anemias and other
blood conditions, metabolic disorders, 69 human diseases being treated
with adult and cord blood stem cells.
For my money on this, I would rather treat people--get real human
treatments--than in this area of embryonic stem cell research where we
are getting no cures. We are seeing a lot of cancer cells growing out
of the embryonic stem cell areas and treatments.
Let's go for what is real. And let's do what is real. I further note,
as I close, there is no prohibition in this country on embryonic stem
cell research. None. No prohibitions. Yet why do the private companies
not go into funding more embryonic stem cell research? It is because
they are getting no results with embryonic stem cells. Nothing is
happening results wise. Let's invest our money in adult stem cell
research where we can actually treat people. That is important.
I yield the floor.
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