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Organizations’ Positions on Fetal Research
by ALL
Released February 19, 2009
American Life League researched organizations to learn their current positions on the following:
- Fetal tissue, cell or organ use when that tissue is acquired from direct abortion done at any time during nine months of pregnancy
- Human embryo research and/or experimentation
- Human embryonic stem cell research and/or experimentation
- Human cloning
Positions are available for the following:
All - Ame | Ame - Cys | Doc - Lan | Leu - Spi | St. - You
 Alliance for Aging Research
2021 K Street NW
Suite 305
Washington, DC 20006
202-293-2856
"The Alliance for Aging Research is a 501(c)(3) group that advocates for medical research and scientific discoveries to improve the health and independence of Americans as they age.
The Alliance is a member of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR), and holds a leadership position in that coalition. As such the Alliance supports public policies that advance research involving both adult and embryonic stem cells and regenerative medicine in general." (italics added)
December 5, 2006 Cynthia Farrell Director, Government Relations See comments under ACSH and CAMR.
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ALS Association (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association)
Suite 150
27001 Agoura Road
Calabasas Hills, CA 91301-5104
818-880-9007
“Adult stem cell research is important and should be done alongside embryonic stem cell research as both will provide valuable insights. Only through exploration of all types of stem cell research will scientists find the most efficient and effective ways to treat diseases.”
http://www.alsa.org/research/article.cfm?id=715
“For those Chapters and individuals who would like to urge their Senators to support embryonic stem cell research legislation, we are providing the attached sample letter which can be personalized and sent to Senators.
The letter and talking points are available in the Advocacy Action Center of the ALSA website at http://capwiz.com/alsa/home. The website also will enable you to identify your Senators and send an e-mail directly to them from the website.”
http://www.alsa.org/policy/article.cfm?id=673&ZFD=2&ZTKN=68144428
January 2005: In the first report showing that human embryonic stem cells can be made to form motor neurons in the lab, ALS funded investigators find a precise sequence of molecular signals that guide cells into neuronal roles.
http://www.alsa.org/research/article.cfm?id=581&ZFD=2&ZTKN=68144428
See ACSH and CAMR.
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Alzheimer's Association
225 N. Michigan Avenue
Floor 17
Chicago, IL 60601-7633
312-335-8700
“The Alzheimer’s Association’s policy, adopted in June 2004 by the national Board of Directors, states that: ‘In keeping with its mission to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease, the Alzheimer’s Association opposes any restriction or limitation on human stem cell research, provided that appropriate scientific review, and ethical and oversight guidelines are in place.’”
http://www.alz.org/national/documents/statements_stemcell.pdf
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American Cancer Society
P.O. Box 22718
Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718
800-227-2345
“American Cancer Society Supports Continued [human embryonic stem cell] Research”
When asked for a reaction after President Bush’s [August 2001] announcement, the American Cancer Society (ACS) noted its previous support of guidelines earlier proposed by the NIH that called for use of stem cells from a broader range of sources, but commended the Administration for allowing stem cell research to proceed, and expressed hope for its future.
"The Society believes that such research holds extraordinary potential in the fight against a variety of life-threatening diseases currently afflicting an estimated 140 million Americans," the statement says.
However, acknowledging that the federal government remains the institution best suited to both fund and oversee research using human embryonic stem cells, the ACS statement notes that the Society will continue to fund explorations into uses of human adult stem cells and stem cells from umbilical cord blood.
The American Cancer Society commends the Administration for allowing this vital scientific research to proceed – even in a limited way," the statement adds.
"The American Cancer Society remains hopeful that both the government and commercial sectors will continue to work collaboratively and with an open mind to explore additional solutions that will allow for the continuation of human embryonic stem cell research as necessary and appropriate," the ACS statement concludes.
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_President_Supports_Limited_Stem_Cell_Research.asp
In May 2008, the following information was provided to American Life League from the Coalition for Moral Cancer Research (www.coalitionformoralcancerresearch.org):
“[The American Cancer Society is] the wealthiest "non-profit" in this country. They are using the American people and their grief, to profit for themselves and also to help fund the following organizations: Planned Parenthood, Susan G. Komen, and the BioScience Center at the University of Georgia. We recently found out that UGA's BioScience Center receives grants and funding from the ACS.
We were appalled to discover that UGA is the home to the only cloned cow and their top researcher, Steven Stice, has now created the "first commercialized product derived from human embryonic stem cells using federally approved stem cell lines.” These newly created stem cell lines, using either lab created or donated embryos, are being sold for roughly $800/kit.
The American Cancer Society denies granting to organizations that use human embryonic stem cells and declares the federal government the agency best to determine how human embryonic stem cell research is funded. However, as previously mentioned, we linked the ACS to the aforementioned organizations that all support abortion, cloning, lab created embryos, and human embryonic stem cell research. Funding is also awarded to a Human Embryonic Stem Cell Workshop at UGA, where students and scientists alike will use a ‘human embryonic stem cell toolbox’ to learn how to create new lines. The American Cancer Society is listed as one of the funding organizations for this event.
Links cited by the Coalition for Moral Cancer Research include
http://www.biomed.uga.edu/initiatives/rbc/
http://www.biomed.uga.edu/
http://biomed.uga.edu/stice/index.html
http://www.arunabiomedical.com/index.php?id=6&pullNewsID=7
http://www.organicconsumers.org/Politics/cancer091505.cfm
http://www.preventcancer.com/losing/acs/wealthiest_links.htm
In December 2008, American Life League was also made aware of the following information about ACS grants:
The California Chapter of the American Cancer Society awarded more than $300,000 to Dr. Inder M. Verma, an American Cancer Society Professor of Molecular Biology who heads the stem cell facility at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
The Salk Institute is a recipient of a $2.3 million share of the stem cell research facilities grants approved by the governing board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) in June 2007. At the time of the CIRM grant award, Dr. Verma was quoted in a press release: “The availability of this shared research laboratory will allow Salk researchers to initiate research on human embryonic stem cells and to contribute to this very exciting field of biology.”
ACS grant listing: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/RES/content/RES_7_2x_Research_Professorship_and_Clinical_Research_Professorship_Grants_in_Effect.asp
Salk Institute/Dr. Inder M. Verma: http://www.salk.edu/faculty/verma.html
Salk Institute receives a $2.3 million stem cell research facility grant, June 7, 2007: http://www.salk.edu/news/pressrelease_details.php?press_id=265
The American Cancer Society made an $827,000 grant (1/1/2005-12/31/09) to Dr. Elisabeth Gruskin, a Kaiser MD in Oakland, to study smoking relapse among lesbians. Dr. Gruskin’s primary area of interest as a doctor is lesbian alcohol abuse and treatment, LGBT tobacco use, African American gay and bisexual alcohol and drug abuse and sexuality research.
ACS grant listing: http://www.cancer.org/downloads/RES/CA.pdf
Kaiser Investigators: www.dor.kaiser.org/staff/investigators/gruskin.shtml.
In addition to the American Cancer Society's consistent support for human embryonic stem cell research, the Society refuses to acknowledge the abortion/breast cancer link and declines to even support the idea that doctors should mention it to their patients.
Source: http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/newsletter102202.htm
Finally, the American Cancer Society has awarded financial grants to Planned Parenthood, the nation's leading provider of abortion.
Source: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/mar/07030607.html
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American Council on Science and Health
1995 Broadway
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10023-5860
212-362-7044
“The American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) is a consumer education consortium concerned with issues related to food, nutrition, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, lifestyle, the environment and health.
ACSH was founded in 1978 by a group of scientists who had become concerned that many important public policies related to health and the environment did not have a sound scientific basis. These scientists created the organization to add reason and balance to debates about public health issues and bring common sense views to the public.”
http://www.acsh.org/about/
On July 14, 2006, in response to President Bush’s promised veto of H.R. 810, The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, which would expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, ACSH joined hundreds of other organizations in signing a letter supporting the science behind the legislation.
The letter read, in part:
Dear Senator,
We the undersigned patient advocacy groups, health organizations, research universities, scientific societies, religious groups and other interested institutions and associations, representing millions of patients, scientists, health care providers and advocates, write you with our strong and unified support of H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. We urge your vote in favor of H.R. 810 when the Senate considers the measure next week.
For a list of signatories, see http://www.acsh.org/printVersion/hfaf_printNews.asp?newsID=801
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American Diabetes Association
National Office
1701 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311
703-549-1500
“The American Diabetes Association applauds this morning’s statement by Majority Leader Frist announcing his support of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. By easing restrictions and supporting research that uses embryonic stem cells – while also implementing strong ethical guidelines – this legislation provides hope to the more than 18 million Americans living with diabetes.” (italics added)
Copy of News Release issued July 29, 2005 mailed along with cover letter on December 22, 2006.
The American Diabetes Association also issued a press release on Friday April 13, 2007 entitled “American Diabetes Association lauds Senate for passage of Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.” The release applauded the Senate’s decision to pass S. 5 “which will accelerate stem cell research by easing existing funding restrictions and supporting research that uses embryonic stem cells, while maintaining strict ethical guidelines.”
See comments under ACSH and CAMR.
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American Heart Association
National Service Center
1100 E Campbell Rd Suite 100
Richardson, TX 75081
The AHA states that they “only deal with issues that impact heart disease and stroke and therefore we have no policy one way or the other on abortion.”
Regarding stem cell research, the American Heart Association states on its website that it “does not fund any research involving stem cells derived from human embryonic or fetal tissue.” However, it also states that “the American Heart Association recognizes the value of all types of stem cell research and supports federal funding of this research.”
Further, while the AHA states that it “views cloning to create human beings and cloning to create humans or embryos for research materials as unacceptable,” the AHA website presents misinformation on the process of cloning via somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). This information is most likely to lead the reader into believing that cloning, or SCNT, does not, or cannot, produce a human being. This is false.
In June 2000 the AHA’s Board of Directors voted to adopt a policy to continue supporting meritorious research involving cloning and to support federal funding of cloning research.
Print screens of AHA website pages http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4539 mailed on December 22, 2006.
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American Lung Association
61 Broadway
6th Floor
New York, NY 10006
212-315-8700
“The American Lung Association supports increased federal funding levels for biomedical, behavioral, epidemiological, environmental and intervention research and research training programs, including but not limited to those conducted by the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The American Lung Association recognizes that research with human stem cells offer significant potential to further our understanding of fundamental lung biology and to develop cell-based therapies to treat lung disease. The American Lung Association supports the responsible pursuit of research involving the use of human stem cells.”
ALA Public Policy Position Statement, September 12, 2008
http://www.lungusa.org/atf/cf/%7B7A8D42C2-FCCA-4604-8ADE-7F5D5E762256%7D/Revised08-09%20Research.pdf
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American Medical Association
515 N. State Street
Chicago, IL 60610
800-621-8335
"The Principles of Medical Ethics of the AMA do not prohibit a physician from performing an abortion in accordance with good medical practice and under circumstances that do not violate the law."
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/8385.html
See ACSH and CAMR.
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American Parkinson's Disease Association
National Office
135 Parkinson Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
800-223-2732
See ACSH and CAMR.
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