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Rep. Smith, Dr. J Urge Passage of Cord Blood Bill
Associated Press Newswires
06 October 2005
WASHINGTON (AP) - New Jersey Republican Rep. Chris Smith teamed up Thursday with former Philadelphia 76ers star Julius "Dr. J" Erving, calling for the passage of a bill that would increase stem cell research by using umbilical cord blood.
Smith is the sponsor of a measure -- approved in the House by a 431-1 vote earlier this year -- that would create a new federal cord blood stem cell program, reauthorize and expand the current federal bone marrow stem cell program. The Senate has yet to vote on a bill identical to Smith's measure, and the congressman and Erving urged Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.
"Delay is denial, especially for the sick who will not benefit from cord blood transplantation because the Senate inexplicably delayed," Smith said. "Make no mistake, for these sick children and adults, this is a matter of life or death."
Erving, who became involved in the issue because cord blood has been used to treat people with sickle cell anemia, flew to Washington from Florida to attend the news conference because he said the measure would help save lives.
"Each year thousands of Americans die who could be saved if larger and more diverse inventories of umbilical cord stem cells were in existence," said Erving, a Hall of Famer and currently the vice president of the Orlando Magic.
Blood saved from newborns' umbilical cords is rich in a type of stem cells that produces blood in the same manner that transplanted bone marrow produces it. The Institute of Medicine recently estimated that cord blood could help treat about 11,700 Americans a year with leukemia and other devastating diseases, yet most is routinely discarded.
Smith described his bill as "noncontroversial" since it does not involve the destruction of human embryos. President Bush remains opposed to any legislation that would expand funding for stem cell research that involves destroying human embryos.
Frist, R-Tenn., has reversed his position to support more federal dollars for stem cell research.
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