[archimeech]

PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNS PANCREATIC ISLET CELL BILL INTO LAW!!!



October 25, 2004


The JDRF Government Relations team is very pleased to announce the “Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplantation Act of 2004” was signed into law by President Bush on October 25, 2004.



This important piece of legislation passed through both houses of Congress and reached the President’s desk thanks in no small part to the hard work of JDRF advocates across the country. Your efforts to educate members of Congress on the promise of islet cell transplantation and ask for their support were crucial in ensuring the bill’s success.



The “Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplantation Act of 2004” will increase the supply of pancreata for islet transplantation and improve the coordination of federal efforts and information regarding islet cell transplantation.



The recent progress made with islet cell transplantation is featured in the current Winter 2004 issue of JDRF’s Countdown magazine.



Thank you for all the calls and visits made, and letters and emails sent in support of the “Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplantation Act of 2004.” Once again, the efforts of JDRF advocates have translated into tangible results for the more than 1 million Americans living with Type 1 diabetes.

**Edited for potentially inflammatory content. TAutry**

[gettingby]

Thank you Meech. This was a very interesting thing to learn. Thanks for keeping us on top of things.

**Edited. See note above. TAutry**

[Dewey]

Thanks for the info. Archimeech.

**Edited. TAutry**

[TAutry]

Hi all,

It's fine to share the news item, but KEEP the political comments confined to the Chit Chat forum. If this thread becomes political, it will be deleted.

Travis

[rzrbks]

Transplants = anti-rejection shots

Sorry, I don't see how this helps most of us.

For the people who need this to stay alive, I think it's wonderful.

But, sorry, I'm not trading one set of shots for another

[archimeech]

My point by posting this message was, now that the procedure has been given more than just a "trial" status here in the US, it will garner more federal funding as well as be eligible for increased compensation in regards to insurance claims.

Tautry, I can't remember if I had posted anything that would have been inflamatory, however I apologize to the rest of the board if I did.

Rzr, at the moment transplants do means anti-rejection shots and everything that goes along with them. I'm happy to see the progress being made to get past that point. Personally, I'm hopeful to see a day in my lifetime that I won't require any shots at all, but that's the diehard optimist in me that I keep trying to smother.

My only purpose for this thread was to share info, not to incite a cyber-riot.
Meech

[archimeech]

It's almost there, Rzr. We are advancing new technologies daily!

"JDRF-funded researchers in Boston have developed a drug therapy that shows promise in blocking rejection of transplanted tissue without undermining the immune system’s long-term effectiveness. The therapy, devised by scientists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School, raises the possibility that anti-rejection drugs could be used for a short period after an islet transplant and then discontinued, freeing the patient from lifelong immune suppression. "

[rzrbks]

archimeech

It's almost there, Rzr. We are advancing new technologies daily!

I believe that One Day it'll happen, but, I can't look with hope at that happening-------I'm one of those who get through life expecting the worst so I don't get emtionally crushed as often.

[Jenny]

hm I don't know what I think about this whole thing.