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Research for life: The facts
MISREPRESENTATION
One can support UNMC’s research in Alzheimer’s and other neurodestructive diseases and also support LB 512.
FACT
Passage of LB 512 will stop the research at UNMC. Until UNMC can advance the science to the point whereby cells from alternative sources can be acquired, the research cannot continue.
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MISREPRESENTATION
UNMC is using aborted baby body parts, such as brains, in this research.
FACT
UNMC researchers are using tiny, pea-sized samples of brain cells from recovered cadaveric tissue.
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MISREPRESENTATION
UNMC is using aborted baby body parts taken from "partial birth" abortions.
FACT
No fetal brain cells have ever been received from "partial birth" abortions. UNMC is using fetal brain cells from 10- to 19-week-old fetuses.
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MISREPRESENTATION
The use of fetal brain cells will create a demand/market for aborted children.
FACT
There is no evidence whatsoever that the donation of fetal cells for research has increased elective abortions. UNMC’s fetal cell research seeks to understand how brain cells are damaged by disease and to find ways to regenerate brain cells in neurodestructive diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and AIDS-related dementia. Ultimately, the goal is to identify and synthesize the genes that will regenerate brain cells, eliminating the need for fetal cells.
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MISREPRESENTATION
This research can be done using only animal cells.
FACT
UNMC scientists use animal models for their Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and AIDS-related dementia research. When specific, critical questions cannot be addressed by the use of animal models, fetal brain cells are used for these studies. The molecular, biochemical and physiological characteristics of human brain cells are distinct and different from those of rat and/or monkey cells. Thus, human brain cells must be used to advance scientific discovery in the cause, treatment and prevention of these human neurodestructive diseases.
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MISREPRESENTATION
Nothing of any significance has ever come from fetal cell research.
FACT
This is not so. For example, in 1954, human fetal cells were instrumental in the isolation of the polio virus, which led to the development of the polio vaccine. In addition, studies have shown that fetal cell transplants into Parkinson’s patients under the age of 50 have provided some relief. In addition, a new smallpox vaccine being manufactured is being prepared in MRC-5 cells, a line of fetal cells.
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MISREPRESENTATION
Stopping this research will prevent more abortions.
FACT
There is no evidence whatsoever that donation of fetal cells for research has increased elective abortions. Women consent to donate fetal cells only after they have made the decision to have an abortion. They receive no financial benefit. If this research weren’t being done, the aborted fetal tissue would be discarded without any life-promoting discoveries ever coming from it.
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MISREPRESENTATION
UNMC’s fetal cell research is not important.
FACT
UNMC’s fetal cell research seeks to understand how brain cells are damaged and to find ways to regenerate these damaged brain cells in neurodestructive diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and AIDS-related dementia. The National Institutes of Health has recognized the promise of UNMC’s work and generously funded its work. This research is very important to Nebraska, which ranks among the top four states in the percentage of people age 85 years and older. Currently, about 77,000 Nebraskans have Alzheimer’s disease — enough people to fill Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.
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MISREPRESENTATION
UNMC has been singled out as the sole institution in the state using fetal cells to improve health.
FACT
Most hospital diagnostic virology labs use cell lines derived from an aborted fetus as a diagnostic tool in identifying certain viral infections.
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MISREPRESENTATION
UNMC’s fetal cell research has produced no meaningful results.
FACT
UNMC research pioneered the theory that inflammation of the brain causes dementia. A woman being treated for AIDS-related dementia at UNMC directly benefited from fetal cell research. After fetal cell studies determined that ibuprofen could reduce the inflammation in her brain, she was given this drug in combination with others and made a remarkable recovery after being very near death. The Omaha World-Herald has covered this event in two separate stories. UNMC researchers have defined a number of immune responses in the brain using fetal cells critical for brain destruction in neurodegenerative disorders. New drugs that would be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease and AIDS-related dementia are being developed from these research results. New ways to protect or regenerate brain cells are being explored from this research.
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MISREPRESENTATION
UNMC is using a large number of aborted baby body parts in this research.
FACT
No aborted baby body parts are being used in this research. Over the past four years, the number of pea-sized fetal cell samples used by UNMC in research has ranged from a monthly average of six in the lowest year to nine in the highest year.
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MISREPRESENTATION
UNMC has been secretive in conducting this research.
FACT
UNMC researchers have attempted to share their research findings. More than 60 papers and an equivalent number of abstracts have been published in major scientific journals since the research began at UNMC seven years ago. Eleven grants have been awarded by national societies and the federal government. In addition, tours of the UNMC lab in which fetal cell research is conducted are offered, and numerous news releases have been written outlining research activities.
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MISREPRESENTATION
UNMC’s fetal cell research is illegal.
FACT
This is not true. In fact, the fetal cell research at UNMC was subjected to more review than is required. UNMC’s research does not involve human subjects. It is basic laboratory research. Fetal cell laboratory research has never been banned in the U.S. During the past three years, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has provided funding for more than 300 research projects in the U.S. using fetal cells. In addition to UNMC, at least 48 other academic health sciences institutions have received funding for fetal cell research during that period.
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MISREPRESENTATION
UNMC is not following federal guidelines and is using an improper consent form when asking women to donate fetal cells for research.
FACT
UNMC is following federal guidelines, which require a physician who terminates a pregnancy to use a proper consent form. Women consent to donate fetal cells only after they have made the decision to have an abortion. They receive no financial benefit.
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MISREPRESENTATION
UNMC says this research deals with Alzheimer’s disease when it is really being done on HIV/AIDS.
FACT
UNMC announced in 1997 that it was shifting its HIV/AIDS research emphasis to explore the brain inflammation that is common in AIDS-related dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This research change was widely reported in the media. The National Institutes of Health encouraged UNMC to explore this new exciting field of scientific questioning and funded UNMC’s initiatives.
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MISREPRESENTATION
UNMC was being secretive in not having this research reviewed by its full Institutional Review Board.
FACT
Federal law does not require institutions to review fetal cell research that does not involve patients. However, understanding the sensitivity of this research, UNMC scientists using neural fetal cells in laboratory or mouse research requested a full review of this research. The research was then reviewed by two campus committees, which included community members, and the executive committee of UNMC’s IRB.
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MISREPRESENTATION
Religious opinion condemns UNMC’s use of fetal cells in research.
FACT
Many religious leaders have no problem whatsoever with UNMC doing fetal cell research and have spoken out in support.
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MISREPRESENTATION
The public has not been aware of fetal cell research.
FACT
Research using fetal cells has been conducted nationally since the 1930s. In 1954, human fetal cells were instrumental in the isolation of the polio virus, which led to the development of the polio vaccine. Over the past couple decades, there has been considerable national debate on the subject of fetal cell research.
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MISREPRESENTATION
Fetal cells from brains can be frozen and shipped to UNMC from around the country and be viable for use in research.
FACT
There is no evidence in the scientific community that fetal cells can be frozen and still be viable for research.
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MISREPRESENTATION
UNMC has participated in other research projects involving human fetal cells or organs.
FACT
Fetal cell laboratory research is not a reportable event and is not required to be reviewed because the research is not done on human subjects. All major research institutions encourage scientists to ask scientific questions and explore their answers in an open and free manner. No legal or institutional mandates have existed regarding the reporting of this research. UNMC is aware of no additional research projects using human fetal cells other than those involving fetal brain cells.
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MISREPRESENTATION
This research went on for seven years without the regents or public knowing.
FACT
UNMC researchers have attempted to share their research findings. More than 60 papers have been published in major scientific journals since the fetal cell research began seven years ago. Eleven grants have been awarded by national societies and the federal government. In addition, tours of the UNMC lab in which fetal cell research is conducted are available, and news releases have been written outlining the research activities. If there is one fault, UNMC, like most other research institutions, did not issue a specific news release dealing with fetal cell research.
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MISREPRESENTATION
Fetal cell research is contrary to the stated public policy of the Nebraska State Legislature concerning abortion.
FACT
This is not about abortion. This is about research using recovered cells that would otherwise be discarded. This research is important to the state of Nebraska, which ranks among the top four states in the percentage of people age 85 years and older. Currently, about 77,000 Nebraskans have Alzheimer's disease, and this number is expected to double by 2030.
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MISREPRESENTATION
The unborn child is alive when the brain is removed.
FACT
UNMC does not receive "brains" from "unborn children." It is against the law to obtain cells from a child born alive.
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MISREPRESENTATION
UNMC was secretive in not telling its research partner, Creighton University, that it was conducting fetal cell research.
FACT
Contrary to reports in The Omaha World-Herald, several Creighton University faculty members working in the UNMC Center for Neurovirology and Neurodegenerative Disorders (CNND) were aware of the fetal cell research being conducted at UNMC.
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MISREPRESENTATION
UNMC has been insensitive to the concerns of the public and is not moving quickly to reduce its use of fetal cells from elective abortions.
FACT
UNMC is exploring the use of adult brain cells obtained from individuals and their families who have consented to rapid brain autopsies performed within four hours of their death. UNMC has made tremendous headway in this area, reducing the number of fetal cells necessary for its research by nearly two-thirds.
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MISREPRESENTATION
UNMC is unwilling to use cells from other alternative sources in its research.
FACT
As their first choice, UNMC scientists use transformed cell lines, primary human blood cells and autopsy brain cells acquired within four hours after death for their Alzheimer’s and AIDS-related dementia research. When specific, critical questions cannot be addressed by any of these measures, fetal brain cells are used for these studies.
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