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For Immediate Release: Sunday, January 16, 2005 Contact: Contact: Jordan Isenstadt (c) 516.991.3842 (w) 212.490.9535 (f) 212.490.2151 State Senator’s Liz Krueger and David Paterson to
Introduce Dual, Comprehensive Stem Cell Research Legislation Will Announce Proposals to Regulate and Fund Stem Cell Research in
New York New York, NY – State Senator Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) joined
Senate Democratic Leader David Paterson today in calling for passage of both
her innovative stem cell research initiative and his new legislation
providing a funding mechanism for this research. Senator Krueger has re-introduced her comprehensive bill
from 2004 that proposes to amend the public health law, by placing clear
guidelines on stem cell, embryonic, and fetal tissue research, as well as
prohibiting human cloning. “We need
to support 21st century scientific innovations, while avoiding the
mistakes made in California, where they have ceded far too much control to
private companies with too few protections for the public,” said Senator
Krueger. “We live in a time of tremendous medical progress,”
stated Senator Krueger. “We
are on the threshold of historic breakthroughs against chronic, degenerative
and acute diseases. Stem cell
research has clearly shown its potential to do incredible good for
humankind. The bill that I have
introduced supports this type of scientific research, while officially
banning human cloning. Furthermore,
the legislation would strengthen the law and regulations which protect New
Yorkers from possible abuse of human genetic material.” An estimated 128 million Americans suffer from the
crippling economic and psychological burden of chronic, degenerative, and
acute genetic diseases, including juvenile diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and
many cancers. Stem cell research or
therapeutic cloning offers immense promise for developing new medical
therapies, treatments and cures for these debilitating diseases and is a
critical means to explore fundamental questions of human physiology. Senator Paterson
is sponsoring a complimentary bill to Senator Krueger’s legislation, which would create a $1 billion
voter-approved stem cell research initiative. The initiative will require the state to sell up to $1 billion
in general obligation bonds, backed by the State’s General Fund, over a ten
year period. These funds will be used
to create a New York stem cell institute that will award grants and loans to
stem cell research companies and organizations. New York's
biomedical industry is a critical component of the state's economy, as it
provides substantial employment, pays substantial wages and salaries, invests
billions in research and reports billions in worldwide revenue. “We in New York are lucky enough to have a
fairly accomplished biomedical sector,” remarked Senator Krueger. “With the passage of this bill, New York
State will be able to move to the forefront of stem cell research and we will
surely reap the benefits of future economic development.” Senator Krueger’s legislation creates a thorough
and comprehensive set of guidelines that anticipates potential abuses of
therapeutic cloning. Specific
standards of informed consent
are created between physicians and potential donors that both parties must
agree to. In addition the legislation
spells out that human genetic material is to be treated with the utmost
respect and sensitivity. Her
legislation would also strictly prohibit human cloning, the practice of
attempting to create a new human being from raw genetic material, and strict
penalties are outlined for those who do not adhere to the rules of informed
consent. Violators of this statute
would be guilty of up to a Class B felony and could be subject to a fine of
up to $250,000. Therapeutic
cloning involves removing the nucleus of a human egg cell and replacing it
with the nucleus from a patient's body cell, such as a skin cell. The egg is
then artificially stimulated, causing the egg to develop in a way similar to
an embryo fertilized by sperm.
Scientists envision extracting stem cells -- which have the potential
to turn into every type of cell in the human body -- from the cloned embryo
so that it would be a perfect transplant match for the patient. Britain recently became the first country
to legalize therapeutic cloning. The move allows scientists to create cloned
embryos only for purposes of extracting stem cells for medical research. The
extraction, which is done when the embryo is a few days old, means the clones
cannot develop into babies. Under the
guidelines set forth by Senator Krueger’s legislation, the embryos are
only allowed to develop until they are 14 days old. The
legislation further proposes the creation of a twelve-member advisory Commission
on Cloning & Therapeutic Research.
Members would be appointed by the Governor, the Temporary President of
the Senate, the Speaker of the Assembly, as well as the Minority Leaders of
the Senate and Assembly. Commission
membership must include four scientists involved in stem cell and therapeutic
cloning research, two physicians, two medical ethicists, two patients or
former patients involved in stem cell or fertility treatment, one health care
provider and one patients rights advocate.
“The
legislation that I have proposed puts a system in place that would
appropriately regulate and support therapeutic cloning,” stated Senator
Krueger. “The bill features
strong consumer protections, the creation of a well-rounded commission and a
thorough statement of informed consent.
The time has come in New York State for us
to recognize the importance of genetic technology and the need to pass
sensitive, yet effective legislation.” -30- |
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