Protect, fund adult stem-cell research

To the editor:

Imagine 50 years of research in cord-blood and adult stem-cell research without government help or protection. This research has resulted in successful treatments for diseases like leukemia, once a death sentence, immune-system and other blood disorders, cancers, autoimmune diseases, heart diseases and strokes. Parkinson's disease is already being treated using adult stem cells as well as other neurodegenerative disorders.

Infants and young children are being successfully treated for adrenoleukodystrophy, Krabbe disease and Hurler syndrome. Other lysosomal and peroxismal-storage diseases are being treated resulting in excellent survival rates.

Adult stem cells have have been differentiated into lung cells that could be used eventually to treat emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis and other related lung injuries. Adult stem cells and cord-blood cells currently treat sickle-cell anemia, aplastic anemia, sideroblastic anemia and a plasma cell disorder called primary amyloidosis.

Systemic lupus that attacks the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, joints and nervous system is also being treated using adult cells.

If I had room I would name at least 50 other diseases and injuries, including spinal cord injuries being successfully treated using cord blood and adult stem cells, all without constitutional amendments, Supreme Court decisions or tax money.

If you suffer from one of these diseases, are you willing to wait 50 years for an embryonic stem-cell cure? Should we protect and fund 50 years of successful research or begin using embryonic stem cells?

CHRISTINE E. STEPHENS, Cape Girardeau