For Immediate Release
December 17, 2005
Contact: Josh Moenning
(402) 438-1598
Washington D.C. - U.S. Congressman Jeff Fortenberry strongly supported the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005 (H.R. 2520). As a co-sponsor of this legislation, Fortenberry supports more funding for research on human cord blood stem cells for the treatment of patients. Fortenberry issued the following statement on this legislation:
This is good science, Fortenberry said. Research using stem cells from umbilical cord blood and other adult stem cell sources has yielded proven clinical results and shows great promise for cures. The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005 will help save many lives without crossing the ethical line of destroying human embryos.
To date, cord blood stem cells have effectively treated more than 67 diseases in human beings, including leukemia, sickle cell disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, type-1 diabetes, Parkinsons disease, and even blindness.
Cord blood stem cells show great promise for restoring movement to spinal cord patients, many of whom have experienced improved sensation and movement from cord blood stem cell treatments. Cord blood stem cells possess the regenerative flexibility to form virtually every type of human tissue. Research has shown that these cells are less susceptible to transplant rejection than bone marrow.
###