The Kansas Coalition for Lifesaving Cures

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Our Basic Policy Position

The Kansas Coalition for Lifesaving Cures¹ policy position is that any stem cell research, therapies or cures that are permitted by federal law should be allowed in Kansas ­ provided that such activities are conducted ethically and safely and do not involve human reproductive cloning.

Like the overwhelming majority of medical experts, medical organizations and patient advocacy groups, we agree that all types of stem cell research should be pursued in the effort to find lifesaving cures, including research involving adult stem cells, Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) and stem cells from leftover fertility clinic blastocysts that would otherwise be discarded. We also believe that human cloning to create babies should be banned.

Background

The Kansas Coalition for Lifesaving Cures came together in response to proposed legislation that would have banned and criminalized in Kansas some of the most promising types of stem cell research and cures. The legislation was tabled in the 2005 legislative session.

However, it is clear that stem cell opponents will continue to push Kansas legislators to pass legislation that would ban, criminalize or restrict stem cell research and cures involving early, or embryonic, stem cells (ES cells). Any such bans would be unfair and harmful to Kansas patients and to our medical researchers and institutions in our state.

Unlike adult stem cells, ES cells have the unique potential to turn into any cell in the human body. As a result, they could provide cures for many currently incurable or common diseases and injuries, such as diabetes, Parkinson's, ALS, MS, cancer, heart disease, sickle cell disease and spinal cord injuries.

There are two basic sources of ES cells. One is SCNT, which uses a patient's own cells and an empty, donated human egg to make ES cells. The other source is leftover in vitro fertilization (IVF) fertility clinic blastocysts (also called embryos or pre-embryos) that would otherwise be discarded and destroyed. Cutting edge research to find stem cell cures involves ES cells from both of these sources. Both have the potential to provide breakthrough cures ­ and each type of stem cell has its own special characteristics and potential uses for curing different diseases and injuries.

ES cell research involving both SCNT and leftover IVF blastocysts is legal under federal law, strongly supported by medical and patient organizations, and actively being pursued by researchers throughout the U.S. and in other countries.

The only federal limitations on ES cell research at this time are on the use of federal funds. Current federal policy limits federal funding for ES cell research to a limited number of existing stem cell lines taken from IVF blastocysts. However, the U.S. Congress is now considering the Castle-DeGette bill. This bill, which has already been approved by the House of Representatives, would allow federal funding to be used for research involving an expanded number of ES cell lines.

In addition, on an almost weekly basis, there are announcements of new breakthroughs in stem cell research, like the new "cell fusion" technique that could provide a way to reprogram a patient's cell by combining it with the nucleus of an ES cell from a leftover IVF blastocyst. These new developments show how rapidly the stem cell arena is changing and how important it is to ensure that Kansas patients and researchers have access to all future stem cell options.

In light of all these facts and developments, the Kansas Coalition for Lifesaving Cures developed the basic policy position shown at the top of this page.

If you agree with our basic policy position, you can help our efforts to protect lifesaving stem cell research and cures by joining our Coalition. Showing your support for stem cell research and cures will cost you nothing ­ but it could help save your life or the life of someone you love. Thank you.