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Over 100 Patient, Medical, Interfaith and Civic Organizations Endorse Missouri Stem Cell Initiative Proposed for November Ballot

Posted on: Monday, 17 July 2006, 12:00 CDT

ST. LOUIS, July 17 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 100 patient groups, medical organizations, and interfaith and civic organizations have joined the coalition organized to support a YES vote on the Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, the ballot measure designed to protect stem cell research and patient access to stem cell treatments in Missouri. To date, nearly 60,000 Missouri citizens -- including more than 2,000 medical doctors and other healthcare professionals -- have also joined as members of the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, making it the largest coalition of its kind ever formed to support a ballot initiative in the state.

"The Stem Cell Initiative is needed to ensure that Missourians will have access to any stem cell research and cures that are allowed in our country and available to other Americans," said Donn Rubin, Chairman of the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures. "The growth of our Coalition and recent public opinion polls show that there is strong support for this important measure and that most people agree that decisions about medical treatments should be made by medical experts, patients and their families -- not by politicians in Jefferson City."

Organizational members of the Coalition include medical and patient advocacy groups such as Missouri State Medical Association, St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society, Mound City Medical Forum, Heartland Health, American Diabetes Association, Lance Armstrong Foundation, Christopher Reeve Foundation, National Children's Leukemia Foundation, National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, National Parkinson Foundation, Society for Women's Health Research, Sickle Cell Disease Association - Kansas City Chapter, Buchanan County Medical Society, Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Washington University in St. Louis and Washington University School of Medicine.

The Coalition also is supported by interfaith and civic organizations such as Concerned Clergy Coalition of Kansas City, Kansas City Missouri Baptist Ministers Union, Metropolitan St. Louis Clergy Coalition, St. Louis Rabbinical Association, National Council of Jewish Women, Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Semper Fi for Life Foundation, Missouri Biotechnology Association, Ethical Action Committee of the St. Louis Ethical Society, MAINstream Coalition and Civic Council of Greater Kansas City.

Many of the individual citizens who have become members of the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures are patients and people with family members who suffer from diseases and injuries that could potentially benefit from stem cell research. Recent medical research shows that stem cells could provide cures for many different diseases and injuries that affect hundreds of thousands of Missouri children and adults, such as diabetes, Parkinson's disease, ALS, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, sickle cell disease and spinal cord injury.

The Coalition also has an impressive list of Honorary Co-Chairs, including: former U.S. Senators John Danforth and Tom Eagleton; Dr. Michael DeBaun, Director of the Sickle Cell Medical Treatment and Education Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital; Karen Pletz, President and CEO of the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences; Roseann Bentley, children's advocate and former State Senator; Dr. Hugh Stephenson, Former President of the University of Missouri System Board of Curators; Renee Austin, President- Elect of the Kansas City Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; Sarah Krtek, Missouri Ambassador for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; James and Virginia Stowers, Co-founders of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research; and Caroline Davis, Former Executive Director of the Missouri Nurses Association.

The Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative was developed because some Missouri politicians have repeatedly tried to pass legislation that would impose a state ban on some of the most promising forms of stem cell research and cures. The Initiative, proposed for the November state ballot, will prevent any such bans and ensure that all stem cell research and cures allowed under federal law will continue to be allowed in Missouri. It also establishes clear ethical boundaries and safety guidelines for stem cell research conducted in Missouri, including a ban on any attempt to clone a human being.

A more complete list showing hundreds of notable members of the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures and more information about the Stem Cell Initiative are available online at http://www.missouricures.com/ .

Contact: Connie Farrow (314) 968-2600

Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures

CONTACT: Connie Farrow of Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures,+1-314-968-2600

Web site: http://www.missouricures.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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