October 2007

Dear Friends of Life:

On November 6^th, 2007, there will be a Referendum item on the General Election ballot, asking to approve $450 million tax dollars to fund stem cell research. Most voters do not understand the issues, so in this letter we are asking for your help in a different way. Instead of writing a letter, please help us to distribute this letter to as many people as possible. Ask your church or organization to make copies for bulletins or handouts. You will see below that this letter can be the handout, or you can have this introductory paragraph removed before making a copy. We want the public to vote NO. The information below will explain why to vote NO.

Stem Cell Research Facts from a Pharmaceutical Professional

The following analysis has been prepared by Adolf Schimpf, a former Director at a major Pharmaceutical Corporation with responsibility for evaluation of bio-technology. Information presented here has been paraphrased in plain-language from National Institute of Health 2001-2006 reports and personal experience.

FACT ... as of August 2007 ...

Adult Stem Cells have been used to treat 73 different diseases; Embryonic Stem Cells have treated ZERO.

WHAT ARE STEM CELLS?

Stem cells are biological structures which in nature serve two different functions:

• Embryonic Stem Cells serve in nature to start the development cycle of a complete human fetus.
• Adult Stem Cells are used in nature to heal sick or injured organs and tissues throughout life.

NOTE: The name "adult" does not mean "older than 21." These cells were discovered in adults before scientists knew that they actually also exist in unborn children.

WHERE DO STEM CELLS USED IN RESEARCH COME FROM?

• Embryonic Stem Cells are removed from the zygote stage of a human embryo, resulting in its death.
• Adult Stem Cells are are present in many locations within the body, from embryo stage all throughout life.

WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS IN THE HUMAN BODY?

• Embryonic Stem Cells are formed within a fertilized egg shortly after conception.
• After about one week, the Embryonic Stem Cells separate into three clusters within the egg.
• The three clusters begin to generate the different organs needed to make an entire human baby.
• Cells from the three clusters, NOT Embryonic Stem Cells, grow into organs of a complete body.
• Formation of these clusters is the only function observed from Embryonic Stem Cells.
• After a body is completed within 14 weeks, these cells are no longer active anywhere in the body.

OBSERVATION: Embryonic Stem Cells are not found or observed during organ healing processes.

WHY DO RESEARCHERS WANT TO CLONE EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS?

• Some scientists have a theory that Embryonic Stem Cells can be coaxed to transform into any organ.
• There are too few cells available in nature, so researchers must try to grow copies in the laboratory.
• Some researchers question if cloned cells not exposed to womb chemicals and processes will work.
• Experience and tests have demonstrated that each set of cloning degrades capability to transform.
• It is well known that repeated cell cloning steps can lead to mutations with unknown consequences.

OBSERVATION: There is no way of knowing when cloned cells become useless or dangerous.

HOW DOES THE HUMAN BODY USE ADULT STEM CELLS TO HEAL SICK ORGANS?

• Adult Stem Cells are part of the body’s healing process all through life, starting in the unborn child.
• Ultrasound images provide evidence of healing, since initial organ problems are corrected before birth.
• Sick or injured organs send out a chemical which activates the body’s defense and healing systems.
• The first response is from immune systems that try to eliminate foreign tissue, followed by antibodies:
• Next, Adult Stem Cells within the organ or nearby are transformed into tissue that needs repair.
• Adult Stem Cells are located in many areas of the body so that they can reach all organs and tissues.
• Studies in 2007 show that some Adult Stem Cells can transform into nearly any organ tissue.

OBSERVATION: Results achieved with Adult Stem Cells demonstrate that the body has a curing system.

WHY ARE EXPERIMENTS WITH ADULT STEM CELLS SUCCESSFUL?

• Research with Adult Stem Cells involves only finding out how the body uses these cells naturally.
• Experiments are geared to finding how to activate and transport cells already part of nature.
• We can observe and measure Adult Stem Cell activity, which is not possible with embryonic stem cells.

OBSERVATION: Adult Stem Cell experiments do nothing more than what occurs in nature.

WHY HAVE NO CURES BEEN FOUND FROM EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS?
Researchers must overcome many natural obstacles before Embryonic Stem Cells can be used.

• All activity of Embryonic Stem Cells is controlled by an internal cell program that starts at conception.
• No one knows how the program works, and it is not possible to observe or measure the activity involved.
• All human body organs develop in exactly the same sequence, under control of the cell program.
• To use Embryonic Stem Cells for cures, we need to know exactly where in the sequence an organ is formed.
• We must learn how to change the cell program, and how to set the cells for the exact point in the sequence.
• Exact chemical changes take place in nature to condition Embryonic Stem Cells for each organ sequence.
• Chemical changes are so small that a few atoms or molecules are involved, which can not be measured now.
• Changing chemistry within organs in order to use Embryonic Stem Cells is complex, perhaps impossible.
• Stem cells have "feelers" to detect location in order to determine the tissue to which they must transform.
• Unless we know exactly where to place Embryonic Stem Cells, they may not transform to the correct tissue.
• Researchers are finding more and more obstacles as they perform more unsuccessful experiments.

OBSERVATION: Research to find cures using Embryonic Stem Cells requires activity not found in nature.

WHAT IS THE CANCER CONNECTION TO EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH?

• Cancer cells grow in the human body rapidly to form random tissues of many different types.
• Cloned Embryonic Stem Cells are very active. They want to convert into "something" very quickly.
• Unless Embryonic Stem Cells are "told what to become" by the cell program, they convert to random tissue.
• Unless Embryonic Stem Cells are exposed to the proper chemicals, they may not convert to desired tissues.
• Until researchers know how to control Embryonic Stem Cells, they can not predict cancer formation.
• Experience with animal Embryonic Stem Cells demonstrates formation of cancerous tumors.

OBSERVATION: Embryonic Stem Cells have produced many cancer cells, but not one cure - ZERO!

FACTS ABOUT THE NEW JERSEY STEM CELL RESEARCH REFERENDUM

• The Referendum, based on a 2003 law, permits cell cloning and harvesting of tissue from the unborn.
• Sponsors indicated their objective is to exploit Embryonic Stem Cell research "economic opportunities."
• There is no procedure or process to control allocation of funds going to Embryonic Stem Cell research.
• The Act contains a provision to raise property taxes if insufficient funds are collected to pay for the bond.

FACTS CLEARLY INDICATE THAT THE REFERENDUM SHOULD BE REJECTED.

There are compelling facts to indicate that research with Embryonic Stem Cells may never become practical, since it involves having to go against their natural activity in human biology. Logic clearly indicates that resources of time and money are being wasted by not concentrating on Adult Stem Cell research. Delaying real cures for the sake of a political agenda regarding Embryonic Stem Cells, does a disservice to society and it represents a cruel deception of vulnerable patients waiting for promised cures.

For more information: www.stemcellresearch.org