Patient Groups, Scientists, Advocates Hold National ’Call the White House Day’ to Urge Bush to Support Stem Cell Legislation

News Advisory:

-- Patient Groups, Scientists, Advocates Hold National ’Call the White House Day’ to Urge President to Support Historic Stem Cell Legislation

The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR), comprised of over 95 nationally-recognized patient groups, scientific societies and academic institutions, will commemorate the fourth anniversary of President Bush’s decision to severely limit embryonic stem cell research in the U.S. (August 9th, 2001) with a national “Call The White House Day”. Patient groups, scientists, and advocates throughout the nation will call the White House switchboard to urge the President to join Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) and other bipartisan Members of Congress in supporting H.R. 810.

H.R. 810 would change the current federal stem cell policy to allow federally supported scientists to study additional stem cell lines, expand research among America’s top academic researchers and accelerate the cure and treatment of diseases. H.R. 810 imposes ethical and legal regulations on the research even as it expands Federal research of additional stem cell lines from voluntarily donated in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryos that will otherwise be discarded.

Given the groundswell of support in the House and Senate for H.R. 810, President Bush’s threatened veto of the bill is the only thing standing in the way of potential cures and better treatments for over 100 million Americans.

WHO: Interviews available with Daniel Perry, President of CAMR

Sean Tipton, Director of Public Affairs, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, and Vice President of Communications, CAMR

Patients participating in the national “Call the White House Day”

WHAT: National “Call the White House Day” to commemorate the fourth anniversary of President Bush’s decision to severely limit federal funds available for embryonic stem cell research. Advocates will urge the President to support H.R. 810 to allow the research to flourish in the U.S.

WHEN: National “Call the White House Day”, held on Tuesday, August 9th, 2005

WHY: Patients, scientists, and advocates throughout the nation have been waiting four long years for a federal stem cell policy that is pro-patients, pro-science, and thus pro-cures. It’s time for a change.

The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR), the leading pro-cures coalition, is comprised of nationally- recognized patient organizations, universities, scientific societies, foundations, and individuals with life-threatening illnesses and disorders, advocating for the advancement of breakthrough research and technologies in regenerative medicine - including stem cell research and somatic cell nuclear transfer - in order to cure disease and alleviate suffering. For more information on CAMR, visit the website: http://www.camradvocacy.org

Contact Information

Sean Tipton

Media Contact

Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research

Contact via E-mail