Please consider sending your “ice-bucket” challenge donation to NCER in order to advocate for the cessation of the destruction of embryos in research, and to educate the citizens of Nebraska.
The Nebraska Coalition for Ethical Research is a statewide advocate for biomedical research that promotes the life, dignity and rights of every human being at each developmental stage. Our volunteer Board of Directors is passionate about our mission, which is to keep Nebraskans educated and informed on the ethical divergence between adult and embryonic stem cell research.
We all desire to support finding a cure for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which is a fatal, progressive neurological disease that affects over 30,000 Americans at any one time. Many of our subscribers have expressed concerns about the charity sponsoring the “ice-bucket” challenge, the ALS Association, and whether donors are contributing to an organization that supports embryonic stem cell research. A spokeswoman from ALSA wrote the following:
The ALS Association primarily funds adult stem cell research. Currently, The Association is funding one study using embryonic stem cells (ESC), and the stem cell line was established many years ago under ethical guidelines set by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS); this research is funded by one specific donor, who is committed to this area of research. In fact, donors may stipulate that their funds not be invested in this study or any stem cell project. Under very strict guidelines, The Association may fund embryonic stem cell research in the future.
(alsa.org)
There are alternatives to funding ALS research other than to the ALS Foundation:
The Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center (MSCTC) at the University of Kansas Medical Center is starting an increasing number of clinical trials and educational efforts.
At the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Anthony Windebank and his team have one ongoing clinical trial for ALS patients and are ready to initiate a second clinical trial for ALS patients.
The Adult Stem Cell Technology Center, LLC is a for-profit company developing new methods for growth and application of adult stem cells, and does not support embryonic stem cell research.
The State of Nebraska continues to allow destructive embryonic research at UNMC, despite little success world-wide from creating and destroying embryos. In vivid contrast, scientists and physicians have been able to help patients suffering from 73 different diseases and injuries using adult stem cells and umbilical cord blood stem cells. The State of Nebraska also continues to allow experimentation using fetal tissue from elective abortions. You and I agree that research undermines human dignity when it offers therapy to save some patients by destroying other human beings at their embryonic stage. Please consider sending your “ice-bucket” challenge donation to NCER in order to advocate for the cessation of the destruction of embryos in research, and to educate the citizens of Nebraska.
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at NCER.
Carol Szczepaniak
President of NCER
Hey there! I love the new website. I hope you folks continue to get support from the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Too many people are still unaware of the connection to embryonic stem cell research, and many more still don’t truly understand what that means. Keep up the good fight!