Longtime pro-life Congressman Chris Smith introduced new legislation on July 25, 2003 that will significantly increase the nation’s inventory of stem cells obtained from placentas and umbilical cords. Such ethical alternatives to embryonic stem cell research have been proven to successfully treat a number of life-threatening diseases.
While blood from the placenta and umbilical cord is rich in stem cells, the nation’s inventory of about 20,000 units of blood is too small and not genetically diverse enough, meaning ethnic minorities frequently find difficulties in securing timely transplants with units currently available.
“By significantly increasing the nation’s supply of genetically diverse core blood units, treatment for several diseases such as sickle cell anemia, leukemia, lymphoma and other blood and immune deficiency diseases, will be more widely available to the American people,” Smith said.
The pro-life bill, HR 2852, would authorize $45 million over the next two years to go to blood centers that agree to collect, prepare and store the blood units for use in treatments.
The bill has the backing of the American Cancer Society and major blood centers. Principal original cosponsors of the bill include Rep. Artur Davis of Alabama, Richard Burr of North Carolina and Edolphus Towns of New York.
– LifeNews.com, July 25, 2003