Stem Cell Support Drops Slightly
Most of the public supports the use of human embryonic stem cells for medical research, but that support may be faltering slightly, according to a new poll from Virginia Commonwealth University. The survey, which included 1,000 adults, found that 54% of respondents favored stem cell research in 2006, down from 58% in a similar VCU poll in 2005. The number of respondents who opposed stem cell research climbed from 32% in 2005 to 37% in the recent 2006 survey. However, when asked if they would support the use of embryonic stem cells to find a treatment for themselves or a family member with Parkinson's disease or spinal cord injury, 70% of respondents said yes. Only 21% would not support the use of stem cells in that situation, according to the 2006 poll. How people feel about stem cell research may also depend on their political affiliation. A recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health found that many more Democrats and Independents favor federal funding for embryonic stem cell research than do Republicans. In a national poll of 1,867 adults, the researchers found that 67% of Democrats and 61% of Independents favor broadening federal funding for stem cell research, compared with 37% of Republicans.
Expanding Autism Research
President Bush signed legislation that authorizes a major expansion of autism research, education, and early detection efforts. The Combating Autism Act of 2006 (S. 843) calls for spending nearly $1 billion on activities and research related to autism spectrum disorders over the next 5 years. The new law also calls for research that would aid in developing and validating screening tools for autism spectrum disorders. “As the prevalence of autism grows, the odds are that every American will know a family who will directly benefit from the programs and research made possible by this legislation,” Jon Shestack, cofounder of Cure Autism Now, said in a statement.
Conviction in ALS Fraud Case
A federal jury recently convicted a New Jersey physician and her coconspirator of defrauding patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Dr. Charlene C. DeMarco was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, six counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering. Over the course of the trial, the prosecutors presented evidence that Dr. DeMarco, who specialized in the treatment of Lyme disease, offered treatment to ALS patients that used stem cell therapy, and that she charged families up to $35,000 for treatments that were never performed. Dr. DeMarco told four patients and their families, all of whom lived in Louisiana, that she was running an ongoing study of stem cell treatment of ALS and required an up-front fee. Dr. DeMarco is scheduled to be sentenced in April.
Alzheimer's Research Funding
Alzheimer's disease research got a boost recently when Weill Cornell Medical College in New York announced that it will establish the Appel Institute for Alzheimer's Research. The institute is funded by a donation of $15 million from Helen and Robert Appel. The new institute will focus on novel and cross-disciplinary approaches to research into Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. “By employing an interdisciplinary approach to the study of this condition, researchers at the Appel Institute will be able to obtain groundbreaking insights into the physiology of the disease,” Dr. David Hajjar, vice provost and dean of the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, said in a statement. “Instead of simply following existing clinical protocols, these diverse research collaborations will offer a 360-degree view of Alzheimer's—hopefully exposing its cause and eventually its cure.”
New Approaches to Epilepsy
The Epilepsy Research Foundation, a collaboration of nonprofit organizations, recently announced a total of $400,000 in grants to fund translational research for three potential epilepsy treatment approaches. One grantee will work on developing adenosine-releasing brain implants to treat temporal lobe epilepsy in rat models. Another will evaluate the benefit of huperzine A, which is derived from a Chinese herb, as an add-on therapy for patients with refractory epilepsy. The phase IIA dose-escalation study will consider the safety and tolerability of the compound and provide initial information on its effectiveness in treating seizures. The final grant will be used to fund research into the development of a galanin-based therapy for the treatment of refractory epilepsy.
Easing Use of Experimental Drugs
The Food and Drug Administration is proposing to widen access to experimental drugs. The agency has been accused by patient advocates and some drug makers of obfuscating the criteria physicians need to seek to use investigational drugs in their patients. In 2003, an Arlington, Va.-based advocacy group, the Abigail Alliance, sued the FDA to get unfettered access to unapproved therapies. The plaintiffs were backed by a federal appeals court in May 2006, and a rehearing of the case is expected to begin in March. In the meantime, the FDA's proposed rule, published last month, said the agency was going to make it easier for physicians to access experimental therapies, and for manufacturers to make them available. In a statement, the Abigail Alliance said the FDA proposals “merely clarify their existing policies.”