For Release July 16, 2006

July 14, 2006

U.S. Senate

Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator:

We, the undersigned patient advocacy groups, health organizations, research universities, scientific societies, religious groups and other interested institutions and associations, representing millions of patients, scientists, health care providers and advocates, write you with our strong and unified support for H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. We urge your vote in favor of H.R. 810 when the Senate considers the measure next week.

Of the bills being considered simultaneously, only H.R. 810 will move stem cell research forward in our country. This is the bill which holds promise for expanding medical breakthroughs. The other two bills – the Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act (S. 2754) and the Fetus Farming Prohibition Act (S. 3504) – are NOT substitutes for a YES vote on H.R. 810.

H.R. 810 is the pro-patient and pro-research bill. A vote in support of H.R. 810 will be considered a vote in support of more than 100 million patients in the U.S. and substantial progress for research. Please work to pass H.R. 810 immediately.

Sincerely,

Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis

Affymetrix, Inc.

Alliance for Aging Research

Alliance for Stem Cell Research

Alpha-1 Foundation

ALS Association

Ambulatory Pediatric Association

American Academy of Neurology

American Academy of Pediatrics

American Association for Cancer Research

American Association for Dental Research

American Association for the Advancement of Science

American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons

American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association

American Brain Coalition

American College of Neuropsychopharmacology

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

American Council on Education

American Council on Science and Health

American Dental Education Association

American Diabetes Association

American Gastroenterological Association

American Medical Association

American Medical Women’s Association

American Pain Foundation

American Parkinson’s Disease Association (Arizona Chapter)

American Parkinson’s Disease Association

American Pediatric Society

American Physiological Society

American Society of Clinical Oncology

American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

American Society for Cell Biology

American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics

American Society for Microbiology

American Society for Neural Transplantation and Repair

American Society for Reproductive Medicine

American Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists

American Society of Hematology

American Surgical Association

American Surgical Association Foundation

American Thyroid Association

A O North America

Association for Prevention Teaching and Research

Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine

Association of Academic Departments of Otolaryngology

Association of Academic Physiatrists

Association of American Medical Colleges

Association of American Universities

Association of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Neurobiology Chairs

Association of Independent Research Institutes

Association of Medical School Microbiology and Immunology Chairs

Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs

Association of Medical School Pharmacology Chairs

Association of Professors of Medicine

Association of Reproductive Health Professionals

Association of Specialty Professors

Association of University Anesthesiologists

Axion Research Foundation

Biotechnology Industry Organization

B’nai B’rith International

Broadened Horizons, LLC

The Burnham Institute

California Insitute of Technology

California Institute for Regenerative Medicine

Californians for Cures

Campaign for Medical Research

Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation

C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition

Cedars-Sinai Health System

Central Conference of American Rabbis

Childrens Hospital Boston

Children’s Tumor Foundation

Children’s Neurobiological Solutions Foundation

Christopher Reeve Foundation

The CJD Foundation

Columbia University Medical Center

Cornell University

CuresNow

Cure Paralysis Now

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Duke University Medical Center

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

Emory University

The Endocrine Society

The FAIR Foundation

FasterCures

FD Hope Foundation

Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)

Fertile Hope

Fox Chase Cancer Center

Friends of Cancer Research

Genetics Policy Institute

The Gerontological Society of America

Hadassah

Harvard University

Hereditary Disease Foundation

Huntington’s Disease Society of America

Institute for African American Health, Inc.

International Foundation for Anticancer Drug Discovery (IFADD)

International Longevity Center – USA

International Society for Stem Cell Research

Iraq Veterans for Cures

Jeffrey Modell Foundation

Johns Hopkins

Joint Steering Committee for Public Policy

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Lance Armstrong Foundation

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Lung Cancer Alliance

Lupus Research Institute

Malecare Prostate Cancer Support

Marshalltown

[IA] Cancer Resource Center

Massachusetts Biotechnology Council

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

Mount Sinai School of Medicine

National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research

National Alliance on Mental Illness

National Association for Biomedical Research

National Caucus of Basic Biomedical Science Chairs

National Coalition for Cancer Research

National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship

National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease

National Council of Jewish Women

National Council on Spinal Cord Injury

National Health Council

National Hemophilia Foundation

National Medical Association

National Partnership for Women and Families

National Prostate Cancer Coalition

National Spinal Cord Injury Association

National Venture Capital Association

New Jersey Association for Biomedical Research

New York Stem Cell Foundation

New York University School of Medicine

North American Brain Tumor Coalition

Northwest Association for Biomedical Research

Northwestern University

Paralyzed Veterans of America

Parkinson’s Action Network

The Parkinson Alliance and Unity Walk

Parkinson’s Disease Foundation

Pittsburgh Development Center

Project A.L.S.

Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum International

Quest for the Cure

Research!America

Resolve: The National Infertility Association

RetireSafe

Rett Syndrome Research Foundation

Rice University

Robert Packard Center for ALS Research at Johns Hopkins

Rutgers University

Secular Coalition for America

Society of General Internal Medicine

Society of Gynecologic Oncologists

Society of Reproductive Surgeons

Society of University Otolaryngologists

Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology

Society for Education in Anesthesia

Society for Male Reproduction and Urology

Society for Neuroscience

Society for Pediatric Research

Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility

Society for Women’s Health Research

Stanford University

Stem Cell Action Network

Stem Cell Research Foundation

Steven and Michele Kirsch Foundation

Stony Brook University, State University of New York

Student Society for Stem Cell Research

Take Charge! Cure Parkinson’s, Inc.

Texans for Advancement of Medical Research

Texas Medical Center

The Forsyth Institute

Tourette Syndrome Association

Travis Roy Foundation

Tulane University

Union for Reformed Judaism

Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Davis

University of California, Irvine

University of California, Los Angeles

University of California, San Diego

University of California, San Francisco

University of California, Santa Cruz

University of California System

University of Chicago

University of Illinois

University of Iowa

University of Michigan

University of Minnesota

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of North Dakota

University of Oregon

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

University of Rochester Medical Center

University of Southern California

University of Washington

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Vanderbilt University and Medical Center

Washington University in St. Louis

WE MOVE

WiCell Research Institution

Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Wisconsin Association for Biomedical Research and Education

Woodruff Health Sciences Center at Emory University

Yale University