Stem Cell Therapeutic & Research Act of 2005 Brings Hope to Patients In Need of A Transplant; Press Conf. in Washington Today

News Advisory:

-- House Representatives, Cord Blood Scientists and Transplant Recipients Call on House Legislators to Immediately Pass New Legislation --

House Representatives Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Artur Davis (D- Ala.), lead sponsors of the Stem Cell Therapeutic & Research Act of 2005 along with cord blood transplant recipients and scientists from New York Blood Center (NYBC), will call on the House to help save the lives of thousands, who needlessly die each year waiting to receive bone marrow transplants, by passing this new bill at a Press Conference on Monday, May 23, at 1 p.m., Cannon Terrace (2nd Floor) Cannon House Office Building (Independence Avenue).

At the press conference, Rep. Smith and Rep. Davis will announce details on this new stem cell legislation followed by patient perspectives and experts on the life-saving power of cord blood stem cells.

The bill will be introduced in the 109th Congress on Monday and is expected to be co-sponsored with unprecedented bi-partisan support from lawmakers. Passage of the bill would create a national program -- the Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program to build a ready-to-use inventory of at least 150,000 top quality units to make matched stem cells available to transplant patients of all ethnic groups. The bill will also enable research by scientists and doctors.

Who:

-- Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.)

-- New York Blood Center President and CEO, Robert L. Jones, MD

-- New York Blood Center National Cord Blood Program Director Pablo Rubinstein, M.D.

-- NYBC’s National Cord Blood Program Medical Director, Cladd Stevens, MD MPH

-- Transplant Recipients: Keone Penn, Jaclyn Albanese and Stephen Sprague ( http://www.nationalcordbloodprogram.org )

Date: Monday, May 23

Time: 1 p.m.

Place: Cannon Terrace (2nd Floor), Cannon House Office Building (Independence Avenue -- Washington, D.C.)

Contact Information

Gladwyn Lopez

Media Contact

New York Blood Center

Contact via E-mail