Senator Edward Kennedy Passes
I would like to note with sadness the passing of Sen. Edward Kennedy. Whether you liked him personally or agreed with his politics on every issue, we must give credit to one of the most influential advocates for the disabled. Of particular note, the Americans with Disabilities Act, which addressed both physical access to public buildings and also discrimination in the work place would simply not have been possible without Sen. Kennedy. My favorite... [Read More...]
Is it ethical to pay a woman to donate her eggs for research purposes?
That’s exactly what the state of New York decided to allow. As first reported in the New York Times July 11th, the Empire State Stem Cell Board has decided to allow compensation of up to $10,000 be paid to women who donate their eggs to embryonic stem cell research. A lack of human eggs has slowed stem cell research that could potentially help millions of individuals including those with spinal cord injuries. While such compensation runs counter... [Read More...]
Geron Trials Delayed
Have you been following the clinical trials from Geron Corp? Geron is the first biotechnology company to be FDA approved to test stem cells on humans for the treatment of spinal cord injuries. These trials had been delayed since May 08 but the ban was lifted by the FDA in Jan 09. There is speculation but no proof that the delay may have had a political motive since the previous administration opposed work performed using embryonic stem cells while... [Read More...]
Can you guess how many people live with SCIs?
How many people in the United States live with a spinal cord injury? The answer is staggering: [Read More...] Read More →
World Stem Cell Summit, September 21-23
This has been a huge year for stem cell research and the future looks bright! I wish I could make it to the 2009 World Stem Cell Summit, September 21-23, in Baltimore, Maryland, but I can’t miss any more work. A friend of mine will be attending to take notes and give us some feedback on the news and plans for the future. If you are interested and can attend, we would love to hear your thoughts on the proceedings as well. Read More →
