Congressman Lipinski Introduces Stem Cell Legislation
Focused on Finding Cures

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dan Lipinski (D-IL) and Congressman J. Randy Forbes (R-VA) joined today with patients who have been successfully treated with adult stem cell therapies, and doctors who have treated diseases with such therapies, in announcing the introduction of H.R. 2807, the Patients First Act.

The Patients First Act is bipartisan legislation intended to intensify research that shows great promise for producing treatments for serious diseases and other adverse health conditions.  The bill seeks to promote research and human clinical trials using stem cells demonstrating near-term clinical benefits and to advance the creation of pluripotent stem cell lines without the destruction or discarding of human embryos.

"The Patients First Act provides hope for millions of Americans," said Lipinski.  "I can personally appreciate hope because I have juvenile diabetes which I must monitor and treat several times each day.  This bill ensures that finding cures for diabetes and other more devastating diseases is correctly prioritized, while proving that we don't have to choose between advancing medical techniques and contentious life issues." 

The following patients and doctors attended the press conference today to support the Patients First Act:

• Stephen Sprague, a patient who has been completely free of his leukemia since his cord blood stem cell treatment almost 10 years ago.
• Doug Rice, a patient who eight years ago was told he had two years left to live with congestive heart failure. He was successfully treated with his own adult stem cells that were injected into his heart.
• Dr. Amit Patel, a doctor with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, who has treated numerous patients for heart damage with adult stem cells.
• Dr. Julio Voltarelli, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, who has successfully treated Juvenile (Type I) diabetes patients with their own adult stem cells.
• Dr. Jaider Abbud, one of 13 patients who were the first ever to be treated for Type 1 Diabetes using adult stem cells in a clinical trial led by researchers from Northwestern University and Brazil. Dr. Abbud became insulin free after receiving an adult stem cell transplant using his own blood stem cells.