Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2003 14:17:20 -0500 From: "Society for Neuroscience" To: "Society for Neuroscience" Subject: Oppose Part of Appropriations Bill That Could Hamper Stem Cell Research Thank you for using Society for Neuroscience Mail System Message sent to the following recipients: Senator Kennedy Senator Kerry Representative Capuano Message text follows: Matthew Belmonte [address] November 24, 2003 [recipient address was inserted here] Dear [recipient name was inserted here], As a member of the Society for Neuroscience (SfN), I am writing to you to request your opposition for an amendment (House Amendment 286) included in the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations bill (H.R. 2799). This amendment, sponsored by Representative Dave Weldon, would forbid the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) from granting patents on processes and products derived from embryonic stem cell research and therapeutic cloning. The amendment's vague language would jeopardise work on stem cells, stem cell production methods, cell and tissue therapy products and methods, and somatic cell nuclear transfer. These prohibitions could slow or impede biomedical research aimed at providing therapies, treatments, and perhaps eventual cures for people suffering from debilitating neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Prohibiting patent rights on embryonic stem cell research would create a disincentive for private companies to explore this promising yet economically risky field. The development of a biotechnology product from idea to practical application can consume over a decade of time and hundreds of millions of dollars of capital. Without intellectual property protection, investors would flee, and the existing limits on federal funding for stem cell research would render government-sponsored research unable to fill the resulting gap. Again, I urge you to oppose House Amendment 286 in H.R. 2799. Sincerely, Matthew Belmonte