United Spinal Applauds NJ Stem Cell Funding Proposition
The United Spinal Association applauds the New Jersey State Senate’s passage of the “Stem Cell Research Bond Act of 2006” which would place a $350 million bond proposal for stem cell research on the ballot in November 2006. The Association calls upon the Assembly to swiftly pass the legislation so Acting Governor Codey can sign it into law before the legislative session ends in early January. The proposition would provide the necessary funds for the development of therapies and cures for diseases that could save the lives of millions of Americans and reduce overall healthcare costs.
“We are very eager to see this legislation passed so that New Jersey voters can decide next November whether they want their state to be at the forefront of stem cell research and biotechnology breakthroughs that could impact millions of Americans,” noted Gerard M. Kelly, Executive Director of United Spinal Association. “The passage of this proposition would have a tremendous impact on all persons with disabilities. The funding it provides can help make promises of new cures and treatments a reality.”
The proposition would fund cutting edge research that can speed progress toward curing paralysis and preventing the secondary complications of spinal cord injury. The New Jersey Legislature may also consider a companion bill that will provide nearly $200 million for stem cell and other biomedical research laboratories. Upwards of 700,000 people in the United States have some type of spinal cord injury or disease such as multiple sclerosis, and stem cell research has the potential to truly help improve the lives of these Americans.
Passage of this initiative would make New Jersey a national, and perhaps a world leader, in stem cell research. California voters approved a $3 billion stem cell research bond initiative in November 2005, but the program has been stalled by lawsuits and no money has been provided for research to date. New Jersey, Illinois, and Connecticut are the only other states to allocate state funding for stem cell research. In addition, federal regulations continue to severely limit federal funding for some of the most promising types of stem cell research.
Kelly added, “We are hopeful this proposition will succeed and serve as a model that other states will soon follow. In addition, we hope it will demonstrate to the federal government the importance of public funding for pursuing promising research and maintaining a competitive advantage in the world of medical research.”
For more information about this issue, please contact: Dan Anderson, (718) 803-3782, ext. 294.
United Spinal Association has empowered people with spinal cord impairments for more than 59 years. The organization helped build the PVA-United Spinal Association Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research at Yale University in 1988 and they have contributed millions of dollars over the years to finding a cure for spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis. United Spinal also provides significant annual funding to the Spinal Cord Damage Research Center at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center, where investigators study the impact of a spinal cord injury on other critical body systems.