WASHINGTON, June 16, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback chaired a hearing of the Senate Commerce Science, Technology and Space Subcommittee Thursday to examine advances in adult and non-embryonic stem cell research. Sen. Brownback noted many significant scientific advances in the field of adult and non-embryonic stem cells and pointed out the lack of even a single cure from embryonic stem cell research.
At the hearing, Senators leaned about the exciting new advances being made in the fields of adult and non-embryonic stem cell research. “The field of regenerative medicine offers great hope to those suffering from disease. Much of the research that is providing new hope to those who are currently suffering is moving along at a fast pace and is doing so without questionable or morally controversial techniques,” Brownback said. At the hearing witnesses discussed not only some of the research that is being conducted but also some of the treatments that are currently being offered. Senators heard from some of the patients who are benefiting from the important life-saving research.
Witnesses included: Steven Barsh, President of the Stop ALD Foundation and father of a two year old transplanted with cord blood stem cells for ALD one year ago; David C. Hess, M.D., Chairman and Professor, Department of Neurology, Medical College of Georgia; Keone Penn, 16 year old African-American transplanted with cord blood stem cells for sickle-cell anemia five years ago (featured in “60 Minutes” as first sickle cell anemia patient cured with unrelated cord blood stem cells); Steven Sprague, 54 year old transplanted with cord blood stem cells for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) five years ago; Joanne Kurtzberg, MD, Director, Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant Program, Duke University Medical Center; Jean D. Peduzzi-Nelson, PhD, Department of Physiological Optics, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Pablo Rubinstein, MD, Director of Placental Blood Program, New York Blood Center.