Kansas Coalition
for Lifesaving Cures
PO Box 394
Topeka KS 66601-0394
Toll-free: 800-821-2658
Email: info@kansascures.com
| NEWS ARTICLE December 9, 2005 Associated Press |
Stem Cell Coalition Formed in Kansas
LAWRENCE -- A coalition of patient advocacy groups, medical experts and concerned citizens today launched an effort to ensure that Kansas patients will have access to any future stem cell cures that are allowed by federal law and available to other Americans. The group, called the Kansas Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, includes dozens of medical and patient organizations and hundreds of concerned citizens throughout the state.
The coalition formed in response to attempts some Kansas politicians have made to pass state legislation that would ban and criminalize certain types of stem cell research and cures in Kansas. That legislation would ban stem cell research involving Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) at Kansas medical institutions and prohibit Kansas patients from having their diseases and injuries treated with any future SCNT stem cell cures that are approved as a medical treatment in the United States.
SCNT provides a way to use a patient's own cell and a donated, unfertilized egg to produce stem cells, which can turn into any type of cell in the human body and match the patient's genetic makeup, thus avoiding the problem of immune system rejection.
Medical researchers believe that SCNT stem cells could provide cures for many currently incurable or common diseases, such as diabetes, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, ALS, sickle cell disease and spinal cord injury.
"Members of our Coalition agree that any stem cell research and cures that are allowed by federal law should be allowed in Kansas, as long such activities are conducted ethically and safely and do not involve human reproductive cloning or any attempt to clone a human being," said Lori Hutfles, executive director of the coalition. "We will strongly oppose state-level bans on any type of stem cell research and cures allowed under federal law.
"Kansas patients deserve the right to have access to any stem cell therapies and cures that are allowed in the U.S. and available to patients in other states, and Kansas medical institutions should be able to provide and help find those cures."