Stacy Lamprecht’s 10-year-old daughter, Chloe, has type-one diabetes.
Each year Chloe:
- Pokes her finger 4,380 times to check her blood sugar;
- Withstands 157 insulin injections with a 3-inch needle;
- Undergoes 15 scheduled blood tests; and
- Racks up $21,000 in uncovered medical bills.
On Friday, Lamprecht told the Nebraska Legislature’s Judicial Committee that research bans, such as that proposed in a bill before the Legislature that would ban all human cloning — would limit the possibilities that solutions can be found to improve Chloe’s life.
“What you would be doing by passing this bill would be standing in the way of research that could help this little girl,” Lamprecht said.
The bill before the Legislature would ban reproductive and therapeutic cloning.
Therapeutic cloning — also called somatic cell nuclear transfer — produces embryonic stem cells that can be used for research.
Lamprecht and other supporters of the research joined UNMC scientists — David Crouse, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and professor of cell biology and anatomy; James Turpen, Ph.D., professor and vice chairman in the department of cell biology and anatomy; and Stephen Rennard, M.D., Larson Professor of Medicine in the UNMC Pulmonary and Critical Care Section — in addressing the committee as part of its interim study of the issue as the Legislature prepares for the upcoming session.
The bill, LB700, was first addressed by lawmakers in March but has been carried over to the session that starts in January.
Banning therapeutic cloning could close the door on major medical breakthroughs, Dr. Crouse said.
Many major medical advances throughout history were made by scientists who conducted controversial research, Dr. Crouse said.
One example Dr. Crouse used was the recent finding by a Japanese scientist that skin cells may be manipulated to demonstrate the regenerative aspects of embryonic stem cells.
Dr. Crouse recounted attending an international convention where the Japanese scientist presented his findings, which he came to by conducting embryonic stem cell research, and received thunderous applause.
“Standing ovations are not common at scientific gatherings,” Dr. Crouse said. “Without embryonic stem cell research, this important finding may never have come.”
Critics maintain there has been no success with embryonic stem cell research to this point. But Dr. Crouse noted that promising results had been produced in embryonic stem cell research on animal models. He also said major research advances often take decades and it’s too early to judge the value of embryonic stem cell research.
“I don’t have a crystal ball that says when the breakthrough may come,” Dr. Crouse said. “But it surely won’t come if we can’t do the research.”
Studying embryonic stem cells, which can be produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer, offers exciting possibilities to develop new therapies for many diseases previously considered incurable, Dr. Rennard said.
One such disease is emphysema, which Dr. Rennard studies.
“The cells may give us important insight into how cells may regenerate after being damaged,” Dr. Rennard said. “This possibility wouldn’t exist if we are not able to conduct this research.”
Dr. Turpen briefed the committee on the science behind embryonic stem cell research and somatic cell nuclear transfer, which he said is done for research purposes, not to reproduce humans.
“We are not interested in nor do we support reproductive cloning,” Dr. Turpen said.
Monnie Lindsay told the committee how Parkinson’s disease robbed her of her career as a lawyer as well as her home in Chicago.
“For me and the countless others with this disease, embryonic stem cell research and somatic cell nuclear transfer in particular, means hope,” she said.
The judiciary committee will file a report about Friday’s hearing to the full Legislature.