Senator Tom Harkin Contacted

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin is Chairman of the Health, Labor and Pensions Committee. He was contacted and invited to observe our blog because of the similar views he has expressed towards the enhancement of stem cell research. With his support, we may be able to attract more people to observe our blog; hopefully leading to greater support for the bill as well as a better understanding of the potential impact of stem cell research on our country.

Local Congressman Contacted

Congressman Bob Goodlatte represents the 6th district of Virginia in the House of Representatives. He is a co-sponsor of this bill and represents Harrisonburg, VA and the surrounding areas. As a key stakeholder, it is important that he knows our group as well as people around the area are interested in this bill and hope for his continued support for its passing.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Encouraged to Follow

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a key stakeholder for the H.R.877 Patient’s First Act of 2009, was invited and encouraged to visit our blog. The HHS in the U.S. government’s principal agency for protecting the health of Americans providing essential human services. The agencies within the department perform a wide variety of tasks and services, including research, public health, grants and other funding. The services that the agencies provide can have a huge impact on the enhancement of stem cell research.

White House Administration Contacted

President Obama is a public supporter of Stem Cell Research which is a drastic change from the former Bush administration. He personally encouraged both the House and Senate to change legislation on Stem Cell Research and lifted the ban on embryonic research. As a key stakeholder President Obama can influence legislation on a national level. Contacting him showed public support and hopefully encourages his position on the issue.

MD Representative Invited to Visit Blog

Representative Roscoe Bartlett of the 6th district of Maryland has been invited to visit this blog. Rep. Bartlett opposed S.5 (a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for embryonic stem cell research, which was vetoed by Pres. Bush in June, 2007) and S.30 (a bill to intensify research to derive human pluripotent stem cell lines, which was passed in April, 2007). Rep. Bartlett supports the Patients First Act of 2009 because it does not support the creation of a human embryo for research purposes nor does it support the destruction of or discarding of a human living embryo. He is one of our main links to attract the pro-life population, who may be uninformed about the stipulations of the bill and believe that the bill does involve destroying human lives.

Contacting the Chief Sponsor

Representative Randy Forbes, the chief sponsor of H.R. 877: Patients First Act of 2009 was contacted by email to express our interest and support in the advancements in stem cell research. It is important for him to be a follower of our blog so that he can in turn refer other legislators and prospective key stakeholder to websites in which they will be educated on the issue. We are very confident and hopeful that our blog will persuade others to also become supporters.

NIH invited to visit blog

The National Institute of Health (NIH) was identified as a key stakeholder and an invitation was extended to view our blog. NIH's website provides basic information about stem cells, possible benefits of research, ethical issues, as well as U.S. policy updates. New legislature will allow NIH to fund and regulate research on embryonic stem cells.

Regenerative Medicine: Use of Pluripotent Stem Cells for Research of Diseases Processes

"Reprogramming of differentiated human cells was accomplished in 2007 and early 2008 [37–40]. This was soon followed by generation of iPS [induced pluripotent stem] cells from patients with various diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis [41], adenosine deaminase deficiency related SCID, Parkinson’s disease and Down’s syndrome[42], and this is of considerable importance to begin to dissect the disease process in vitro." Complete Abstract

This article gives an overview of the history of regenerative medicine and how far we have come in regards to the research/use of embryonic stem stem cells to treat various conditions. Since 2007, induced pluripotent stem cells have been extracted from patients with a range of different diseases. It is suggested that the use of these cells, which have proved their ability to differentiate, could be groundbreaking in the treatment/cure of numerous diseases. The next step in allowing this to happen is the Patients First Act of 2009. This bill can be the change.

Andersson, E. R., & Lendahl, U. (2009). Regenerative medicine: A 2009 overview. Journal of Internal Medicine, 266(4), 303-310. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2796.2009.02157.x

Cell Humor

http://geekandpoke.typepad.com/geekandpoke/2008/06/page/2/

The Driving Force

Key stakeholders are the people that the project would fail without their continued support. Which poses the question who are the stakeholders for the Patient’s Act of 2009?

- Patients and their families that live everyday with illnesses that could find possible hope in treatment through Stem Cell Research.
- Researchers (Advanced Cell Technology, International Society for Stem Cell Research, University Researchers)
- Nurses and Health care providers
- The Department of Human and Health Services
- The National Institute of Health
- Advanced Science Serving Society (AAAS)
-United States Taxpayers

Legislators
- President Obama publicly supported the advancement of Stem Cell Research.
- House of Representative James Forbes and the rest of the bill's Co-Sponsors
- Senator Tom Harkin supports a similar bill, S.487, in the Senate.

Political Action Plan

With opposing ethical positions surrounding the passage of this bill, the media has posed strong biases. Therefore, it is essential that legislators and lawmakers are fully educated on the issue of stem cell research to make well-informed decisions that represent their constiuents. We are dedicated to increasing awareness and interest in the advancements in stem cell research. The first step in our political action plan will be to contact key stakeholders and legislators through letters, emails, and phone calls to encourage them to visit our blog. We will continue to follow and post new information about this bill's progress. As nursing students and future healthcare providers this bill has the potential to directly impact the care of our patients. For this reason we will encourage our peers to follow the bill and the information that we provide on this blog to form their own position on the issue.

Our Position on the Patients First Act of 2009

We stand in full support of this bill for many reasons. The first reason involves the advancement of scientific research for the sake of suffering individuals. As a country, we have fallen behind in research during the Bush administration’s ban on stem cell research. In his most recent speech, Obama said that we will “begin researching actively, responsibly, and with the urgency required to make up for lost ground.” We completely agree with his statement “opportunities are missed when governments fail to sponsor scientific research, which results in our best scientists to leave for countries that will sponsor their work.” In the long run this hurts our economy, puts us behind others in scientific advancements, and does not provide for the overall well being of the population as a whole.

Everyone could agree that it is an important responsibility for a country to continually seek out new ways to ease human suffering of its population. With the advancement of stem cell research, we may one day be able to cure or treat illnesses deemed incurable in the past. Individuals who thought they would never be able to walk again, see again, or function properly may be given new hope and a second chance. In Rep. James Forbes address to the House, he stated that there are 73 illnesses that have been treated successfully with adult embryonic stem cells during the last few years. Imagine the possibilities in advancement now that research is being federally supported.

Now, there are many opposing viewpoints to stem cell research. One side is labeled as “pro-life” supporters, who discourage the use of embryonic stem cells because of the fact that the cells being used are being derived from living embryos which they feel should be considered human beings with rights. As supporters of the bill, we are able to look at its implications with an open mind, understanding the concern of those who oppose it as well as respecting their point of view. But with advancement in research, we could totally eliminate this concern.

Obama has recognized the concerns and responded by saying “there will be strict guidelines that will be rigorously enforced.” His goal is to run this operation as smoothly as possible and leave no room for “misuse or abuse”. It is also important to consider the fact that new “groundbreaking” advances have been made that involve altering adult stem cells to mimic the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells. This would allow us to ultimately do away with embryonic stem cell research and curb one of the ethical dilemmas involved with stem cell research. Although research on embryonic stem cells would be conducted, most of the research and advancements thus far have involved using the adult stem cells and manipulating their differentiating properties. Therefore, with the passing of H.R.877, time, proper funding, and continued advancements, we may never have to involve the use of human embryonic stem cells again. In closing, I would like to bring up the point that good research takes time. We could not figure out a way to say it better and feel that Obama said it best: “Medical miracles do not happen by accident, they come from years of painstaking research with many failed attempts along the way…. “ It could be months, years, or even decades before we are able to fully get a grasp on the benefits of stem cell research, but none of the discoveries would ever be possible if we were to turn down the thought of pursuing them. This is why we support H.R.877; to set the groundwork for stem cell research into the near and distant future.

A good summary to clear up any confusion about the bill

I recently came across a well-written summary of the Patients First Act of 2009 that was written by the Congressional Research Service, a well-respected nonpartisan arm of the Library of Congress:

"Patients First Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct and support basic and applied research to develop techniques for the isolation, derivation, production, testing, and human clinical use of stem cells that may result in improved understanding of, or treatments for, diseases and other adverse health conditions, including pluripotent stem cells that have the flexibility of embryonic stem cells (whether or not such pluripotent stem cells have an embryonic source), provided that such techniques will not involve: (1) the creation of a human embryo for research purposes; (2) the destruction or discarding of, or risk of injury to, a living human embryo; or (3) the use of any stem cell the derivation or provision of which would be inconsistent with this Act. Requires the Secretary to issue guidelines implementing this Act to ensure that any research (including any clinical trial) supported under this Act: (1) is clearly consistent with the standards established in this Act, if conducted using human cells; (2) is prioritized in terms of potential for near-term clinical benefit in human patients; and (3) may take into account techniques outlined by the President's Council on Bioethics and any other appropriate techniques and research.
Requires the Secretary to: (1) report on peer reviewed stem cell research proposals that were not funded; and (2) study and submit recommendations to Congress on any structural changes to the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program that would help to expand access to new and future stem cell therapeutic products."

Government Objectives, Political Influences and Potential Impacts on Nursing care

Government funded and regulated embryonic stem cell research was put on hold during the Bush administration. Research was only allowed to be continued on the embryos that were obtained prior to the ban. With the shift in administration within the past year, policy regarding stem cell research has begun to shift as well. The executive order President Obama signed in March lifted the ban on government funded stem cell research using human embryos. In regard to the political and ethical influences surrounding the issue, President Obama states, “the majority of Americans, from across the political spectrum and from all backgrounds and beliefs, have come to a consensus that we should pursue this research; that the potential it offers is great, and with proper guidelines and strict oversight, the perils can be avoided.” In other words, President Obama wishes to advance the science of stem cell research and its positive outcomes in the health care field, while maintaining strict guidelines and limitations to reduce some of the controversy involved with the process.

Embryonic cells hold such great promise for medical advances because they can differentiate into any type of cell (Thomas, et. al). This potential in these cells would allow for growth of replacement cells, similar to organ replacement. This would involve the generation of an organ genetically to that of your own, not a donor’s. Or in diseases such as Parkinson's and juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus, the stems cells would be used to replace the dysfunctional cells affected by the disease (Thompson, et. al). Also, with manipulation of these cells, a particular disease could be created and tracked through its progression for better understanding. Stem cells could be used to create healthy liver or heart cells in order to test drug toxicity. Ultimately stem cells have the potential to yield better treatments and possibly a cure for diseases such as juvenile diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, heart diseases, birth defects, and spinal cord injuries. All of these potential uses could play a huge role on the nurse and the healing process for the patient. Cells could be used to aid for speedy recovery in almost any type of surgical procedure, making the patient’s hospital stay shorter. This would also change around the care given by the nurse. There may be different skills and procedures needed to be administered by the nurse to facilitate better growth of these stem cells once inserted and utilized by the healing patient.

While embryonic stem cell research only seems to pose scientific advancements, President Obama states, “Ultimately, I cannot guarantee that we will find the treatments and cures we seek. No president can promise that. But I can promise that we will seek them — actively, responsibly and with the urgency required to make up for lost ground.”


The following video contains Dr Patrick Dixon discussing some of the many implications for stem cell research as well as the amazing effects it could have on healthcare. Dr Patrick Dixon is an author, business consultant, and former physician often described as a futurist. He is Chairman of the trends forecasting company Global Change Ltd, founder of the international AIDS agency ACET, and Chairman of the ACET International Alliance.

Forbes Speaking in front of House floor about stem cell research

"Forbes' Spoke on the House floor on March 5, 2009 about the recent advances regarding stem cell research and stressed the importance of prioritizing this research by putting patients ahead of the debate. Recent studies are demonstrating the ability of adult stem cells to be induced, resulting in the same properties of embryonic cells. These scientific advances show that research on human embryonic stem cells may become unnecessary and may pose a more costly route to patient treatment. Congressman Forbes introduced H.R. 877, the Patients First Act to strengthen the benefits of stem cell research by promoting research and clinical trials using human stem cells that show the most evidence of providing near-term clinical benefit for human patients and are ethically obtained. This bill prioritizes stem cell research toward treating and curing patients and presents a unified, pragmatic approach to medical and scientific advancement. The studies show that the science of stem cell research has bypassed the divisive political debate and the time to advance medical treatment and care of patients is now."

- http://forbes.house.gov

Obama's Speech Supporting Embryonic Research

President Obama's speech on March 9, 2009 that lifted the executive ban on Embryonic Stem Cell Research. He also encourages Congress to change legislation to encourage and fund the research.

A New Beginning for Stem Cell Research

Stem cell treatment and research is a new frontier in medicine. It offers possible advancement in treatment for many terminal diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, cancer, spinal injuries, birth defects, burns and many more. The research involves using pluripotent [currently just embryonic] stem cells, which are cells that have the potential to differentiate into one of many different types of cells in the body. These cells would be grown, differentiated, and then used to replace damaged or injured cells in the subject.

There are two types of stems cells: multipotent and pluripotent. Multipotent stem cells are adult cells that can only grow into a limited variety of differentiated cells. Currently, the only clinical use of adult stem cells is for bone marrow, or “blood-forming stem cells”. Pulripotent cells, on the other hand, are stem cells that have the ability to differentiate into any type of human cell. Embryonic cells are the cells that have been previously labeled and researched because of their pluripotency. These are cells obtained from embryoes that have the ability to evolve into any type of human cell. New advancements have been made in altering adult stem cells to mimic the qualities of pluripotent stem cells. This discovery could do away with the debate regarding embryos being used in stem cell research.

The 2008 election provided a change in administration that also opened a new window of opportunity for the advancement of stem cell research. During the Bush Administration two similar bills, The Enhancement of Stem Cell Research of 2005 and 2007, were passed through both houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives, only to later be vetoed by the president. The Obama Administration publicly supports the enrichment of Stem Cell Research which allows advocates an opportunity to change or progress the current legislation.

H.R. 877 The Patient’s First Act of 2009 is a proposed amendment to the Public Health Service Act that requires the Health and Human Services to support and conduct stem cell research, including research involving human pulripotent, (embryonic) stem cells.

Supporters of the proposed House of Representative bill see the ability for possible medical advancement in diseases that have otherwise been deemed incurable. Some people that oppose the bill feel that it is opening up ‘Pandora’s Box’, and could one day lead to genetically engineering humans. Other “Pro-life” opposition, claim that life is achieved at conception and that the embryos providing the stem cells should have human rights.