HARTFORD, CT – With a record of standing up for patient access to life-saving treatments, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today called on Congress to act swiftly to reverse a court decision that threatens to block all federally-funded stem cell research.
Blumenthal’s call comes in the wake of a decision issued by District Court Judge Royce Lamberth finding that the Administration’s rules governing stem cell research violate certain Congressional restrictions on research.
“Stem cell research holds great promise for so many people fighting debilitating disease and illness, including Alzheimer’s and diabetes,” said Blumenthal. “Congressional action is the quickest way to guarantee that vital scientific research can continue.”
Paul R. Pescatello, the President and CEO of CURE, a group that advocates on behalf of the state’s biotechnology industry said, “The decision is a serious blow to stem cell research. It puts millions of federal grant dollars at risk in Connecticut and will make it much harder for us to grow our all important bioscience sector. The decision underscores how important Connecticut’s state stem cell research policy and funding is to our scientists—it allows life saving and job creating stem cell research to continue, albeit at a slower pace, until Congress can change federal law.”
Blumenthal has a long record of fighting to ensure that Connecticut patients have access to health insurance and other benefits they need.
Barbara Coombs of Berlin, Connecticut, noted that Blumenthal and his office were instrumental in helping her husband Donald obtain vital disability benefits when he became unable to work because of his multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and other related ailments.
“I wrote to Mr. Blumenthal to tell him about our problem. With only one income, were on the verge of being evicted. He wrote back right away, without knowing anything about us except that we needed help,” said Donald’s wife, Barbara Coombs. “I was so thankful that someone was listening. I carried his letter around with me for days.”
The Coombs’ expressed concern over the recent court decision, and strongly backed Blumenthal’s call for Congress to reinstate federal stem cell funding.
“Blumenthal stood up for me when I needed help,” Donald said. “Now I need him to stand up for all of us in the Senate, to fight for stem cell research that could help so many people like me.”
Blumenthal will be hosting a roundtable discussion concerning the impact of the recent court decision with some of Connecticut's foremost stem cell research experts and advocates at 3 p.m. today in New Haven.
