Georgia Biomedical Partnership Urges Amending SB 148 to Remove Language Hostile to Stem Cell Research
DATELINE: ATLANTA April 10
ATLANTA, April 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Georgia Biomedical Partnership (GBP) strongly urges amending SB 148 to remove unnecessary and hostile references to stem cell research.
The GBP supports SB 148's proposal to establish an umbilical cord blood and postnatal tissue bank for research and medical treatment. The bill's inflammatory references to another form of research, embryonic stem cell research, are immaterial to SB 148's purpose. They are also inaccurate and unscientific.
The GBP is the private, non-profit association representing the life sciences industry in Georgia. The mission of the GBP is to promote the application of all forms of research for development of new therapies and cures to improve the health of all Georgians.
The GBP urges the Georgia House of Representatives to amend the bill to remove unnecessary references to embryonic stem cell research. They needlessly disparage a promising form of research that may lead to cures for thousands of Georgians currently suffering from untreatable diseases. The references are meant to be divisive.
There are numerous scientific and medical organizations that fully support embryonic stem cell research. These groups include the American Medical Association, National Academies of Science, numerous academic institutions and more than 40 Nobel Laureates.
All agree this area of stem cell research holds incredible promise for developing new treatments for many diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. These groups urge that all forms of stem cell research should be pursued, including adult stem cells, stem cells derived from post-natal tissues and embryonic stem cells.
Both the US House and Senate have voted overwhelmingly to support embryonic stem cell research and the vast majority of Americans and Georgians support this research.
The inflammatory references to embryonic stem cell research in SB 148 portray a negative perception of Georgia to the world that will cause enormous harm to economic development initiatives. Georgia has identified life sciences as a top strategic industry for the state's growth and has invested significant funds in life sciences economic development. Hostility towards this research runs counter to the policy of this state.
By amending SB 148 to remove these references, Georgia can pass an adult stem cell research and treatment initiative with 100 percent support.
The Georgia Biomedical Partnership is a private, non-profit organization representing 290 pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies, research institutes and universities, federal and state government groups, and other business organizations involved in the discovery and development of life sciences products.
Contact: Charles Craig, Georgia Biomedical Partnership, 404-920-2043; 404-245-0591; charles.craig@gabio.org
CONTACT: Charles Craig of Georgia Biomedical Partnership,
+1-404-245-0591, charles.craig@gabio.org
Web site: http://www.gabio.org/
SOURCE Georgia Biomedical Partnership