STEM CELL THERAPEUTIC AND RESEARCH ACT OF 2005 -- (Extensions of Remarks - June 07, 2005)
SPEECH OF
HON. JIM RAMSTAD
OF MINNESOTA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2005
Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, I recently joined with nearly all members of this body in voting for H.R. 2520, the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act.
This important piece of public health legislation will help increase awareness of the possibility of using cord blood to improve access to blood-forming stem cell transplants and research.
I also want to take a moment to bring attention to another aspect of this bill, the reauthorization of the National Bone Marrow Registry.
Since its inception in 1986, the Registry has enjoyed strong bipartisan support and has been committed to helping people who need a lifesaving marrow or blood cell transplant.
The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) has successfully operated the National Bone Marrow Registry through a competitive contract renewed every 5 years.
The NMDP maintains the largest listing of volunteer donors and cord blood units in the world, supports patients and their doctors throughout the transplant process and matches patients with the best marrow donor or cord blood unit.
This past November, the NMDP celebrated an important milestone when it facilitated its 20,000th transplant.
The NMDP has worked diligently to increase the diversity of the National Bone Marrow Registry so that all Americans have access to lifesaving blood-forming stem cell transplants by increasing donations from racial and ethnic minorities and incorporating umbilical cord blood units as a new source of cells.
The NMDP also provides transplant centers with the logistical support patients need from the moment a physician initiates a search.
The NMDP provides expert advice on searching the National Registry, coordinates the testing of cord blood units and adult donors, ensures that the correct cells are obtained and delivered as directed by the physician, and assists patients with insurance, travel and other needs that arise as part of the transplant process.
These programs help doctors focus on caring for their patients and helps patients and their families focus on what is important-getting well.
I salute the NMDP for all it does to help patients, and I am pleased Congress was able to pass H.R. 2520.
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