Paula,
I know a lot of people have worked very hard to get to this point. I appreciate their effort. However, there is a time and a place to fight a battle. The last seven years with a President that is against funding this type of research and will veto the bill every time it comes across his desk is not the correct time unless there are enough votes to override the veto(when was the last time that happened?). We have a House and Senate that can't agree to disagree so this is not the place.
As much as we all hate it I'm afraid we are just going to have to wait until Bush is gone to do anything more. Why beat a dead horse?

GregD

The News Item I Wish for:

The President today sent a message to every American, indeed to every human on earth, that he wants uncontrolled cloning research to continue until horrific results are seen as a result of freedom for researchers AND criminals to do whatever they like with human tissue. It is predicted that the Brotherhood for World Conquest will have a dozen live clones in gestation by next year without the controls that would have been put in place by this bill.

Tee hee. But seriously, isn't it true that there's still no Federal limit on stem cell research (which in SOME CASES could be linked with fears of cloning)? If he won't sign the regulation of it, then the evil types still have free rein?

Jaye
(I just woke up)

Hi jaye! You are decadently welcome..welcomed in decadence?

Things aren't uniform anymore about what's legal and what isn't state by state. The shift is going to change to therapeutic cloning I think. SCNT..they have given animals P D and now want to try it with human cells. Clinical trials in the lab. This is going to make a lot of people a lot of money.

Meds may be referred to as delivering information.....staggering.

Things are lining up for some pretty exciting research. Gene therapy creeping ahead....

resemblance between cogane and cocaine highlighted...lol

over and out, gotta keep them short. I've got Happy Fingers.
paula

There have been many, many times when I have felt the same way as Greg does about pushing stem cell legislation while Bush is still in office..It basically is an execise in futility, and Ive tried to concentrate on what we are gaining by doing all this work only to have the bill vetoed as soon as it hits the President's desk..The only thing I can come up with is pd awareness, because I know that our voices are being heard

Hi Steve,

My vote goes for advocating for patient rights in research and pharmaceutical reform in general.

H.R. 977 was introduced in February 9, 2007 by Mr. Becerra & Mr. Weldon of Florida which has been referred into the Judiciary Committee. The bill would prohibit patent of human geneic material. The bill is Bipartisan and the introduction speech states:

"The practice of gene patenting is preventing critical research from advancing because scientists are wary of trepassing patent laws," Rep. Weldon stated. "Our bill is a common sense measure to ensure that genes yet unpatented remain the province of science."

Rep. Becarra said, "a patent free genome that does not hinder scientific research, buisness enterprise, or human morality. We seek simply to fix a regulatory mistake. Genes ara a product of nature; they were not created by maan, but insted are the very blueprint that creates man, and thus, are not patentable. Gene patenting would be the analogous equivalent to patenting the air, birds or diamonds."

H. R. 380 is to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the importation of prescription drugs, and for other purposes, entered into the House of Representatives on January 10, 2007.

Section 2 Findings read:

"Congress finds that--

1. Americans unjustly pay up to 5 times more to fill their prescriptions than consumers in other countries;
2. The United States is the largest market for pharmaccceuticals inh the world, yet American consumers pay the highest prices for brand pharmaceuticals in the world.
3. a prescription drug is neither safe nor effective to an individual who cannot afford it;
4. Allowing and structuring the importation of prescription drugs to ensure access to safe and affordable drugs approved by the FDA will provide a level of safety to American consumers that they do not currently enjoy;
5. American spend more than $200,000,000,000 on prescription drugs every year;
6. the Congresional Budget Office has found that the cost of prescription drugs are between 35 to 55 percent less in other highly-developed countries than in the U.S., and
7. promotingcompetitive market pricing would both contribute to health care savings and allow greater access to therapy , improving health and saving lives.

These 2 currently active bills must not be allowed to get lost in committees.

Vicky

Right...

All the battles must stay in the forefront, regardless of whether headway will be made right now or not. If we don't keep them all in the forefront it will be that much harder to bring them out of the closet later when a more compassionate ear is available...hopefully...with a new president.

I agree that we need a pharmaceutical reform..Even Medicare Part D is a joke

The two bills I have mentioned above benefits anyone with a chronic illness. Is the only concern on this site not all neurological/psychiological illness patients' benefit or just PD? Are none of you concerned about research patient rights or the free sharing of genome information, rather than slowing down science research capabilities? What happened to go Hard Science?

Does no one support legislation that will force the American pharmaceutical industry to competitively price their drugs with the world wide industry? Or do you dislike the messenger so much you will not support her ideas because they are not strictly for stem cell research? Because I don't support stem cell research or cloning, therapeutic or any kind, does that automatically make me a crackpot? I am tolerated on this site, but not to be taken seriously on any issue because I don't support the majority for stem cell research? If this is your view and you have no intent of supporting a bipartison and reasonable issues, this forum is not the place for me. I am sick of the jokes and apathy at the president,s expense. Guess this Parkinson forum is too close minded for other views. Guess it is time to move on where there is a more positive outlook.

Vicky

Vicky..Why are you getting so upset?..I am the only one who responded to your post..I did not debate anything you posted..I was not combative in my reply..You are manufacturing your own conclusions and getting angry for nothing..I know that you dont support ESCR and thats ok...for you..My reply to your post had absolutely nothing to do with your position on the stem cell issue..as a matter of fact I thought you made some very valid points..I didnt make a lengthy reply because I am fatigued and am pressed for time because I have to attend the Spring Symposium this morning

Vicky,

The issues you are highlighting - patenting of genetic matierial, dealing with multiple illness delivery systems - are becoming more focused and dealt with aggressively. We as patient advocates are in the business (so to speak) of generating industry reform regarding drug development and clinical trials.

But the small, often very tired PD community can't take it all on. I think you are talking about issues that can, in part, only be expected to change when the current administration changes. I give Bush more credit than the average person according to polls. But our health system is a major problem and we need to look at who to elect. I'm trying to work up the motivation and energy to cover the election on GRC, but so far I haven't been able to muster it up.

Why don't you, instead of leaving, be the one to educate about patents and genetic materials? For every poster, there are x number of readers and I think at times that number could be very high. So post what you find.

I don't see the anti-stem cell surge against those who don't believe in it in this forum. It must be difficult to read about it when you don't agree, but it doesn't result in anti-Vicky posts.

Your information is being read and absorbed, even when not responded to. Just keep going where your instincts take you.

paula