Promising Stem Cell Research for MS

CHICAGO, USA— On January 30, researchers at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago published promising stem cell research results in patients with Multiple Sclerosis in the online The Lancet Neurology Journal. The study was small, involving only 21 patients with relapsing-remitting type MS. Autologous stem cells—cells from the patient’s own body—were used. At a three-year follow up, 81 % of study participants had improvement in their MS symptoms, and none had deterioration.

SOURCES:

Stem Cell Transplantation Shows Benefit in MS http://www.modernmedicine.com/modernmedicine/Pathology/Stem-Cell-Transplantation-Shows-Benefit-in-MS/ArticleNewsFeed/Article/detail/578836?contextCategoryId=40127

Stem Cells Could Be Used to Treat MS, Study Says http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/health/2009/feb/Stem-Cells-Could-Be-Used-to-Treat-MS--Study-Says.html

RELATED:

Stem Cell Basics http://stemcells.nih.gov/ ; http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/

PBS Nova Science Now: Stem Cells http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3209/04.html

U.S. Senate Passes Children's Health Legislation

From the National Rehabilitation Association's Legislative Network (Patricia Leahy, Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy):

On January 29, the U.S. Senate passed, on a roll call vote of 66-32, The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (SCHIP). The U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of this legislation on January 14, 2009. The SCHIP program had been scheduled to expire on March 31 of this year. Both bills extend the program for 4-1/2 years and renew the SCHIP program.

Highlights of the bill include continuing coverage for 7 million children currently enrolled in SCHIP, plus an additional 4 million children who do not currently have insurance. The Senate version of the legislation, like its House counterpart, abolishes the five-year waiting period and allows States to offer coverage immediately to children of legal immigrants. The Senate bill will remove higher co-payments and stricter limits on the number of treatment visits, creating parity between mental health services and medical and surgical benefits provided by the plans. The Federal cigarette tax, which is currently at 39 cents a pack, is being raised to $1.00 per pack to cover the extension of SCHIP.

The bill:

• Gives States the option of providing dental coverage to some families with slightly higher incomes and provides additional money to States to recruit and enroll eligible children.
  
• Caps the Federal government’s contribution for children in families above 300 percent of the poverty level.

Both bills are headed to a Conference Committee where they will iron out the differences of the House and Senate versions. The President is expected to sign this legislation, once the Conference Report is completed and passed by both Houses of Congress.

Two Disability Leaders to Serve White House

From the American Association of People with Disabilities Newsletter, and contributed by the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services:
Two Prominent Members of the Disability Community will Serve as Special Advisors to the President

At the Disability Pride and Power pre-Inaugural ball, it was announced that Kareem Dale would become a Special Advisor to President Obama on disability issues. We heard later that noted expert in Disability Studies Paul Steven Miller would be playing a role in helping the Obama Administration to ensure that people with disabilities will be well represented in positions within the Administration. Tony Coelho, former United States congressman from California, primary author and sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act, current chair of the Epilepsy Foundation's national board of directors and a lead organizer of the Ball is also playing an active role in advancing disability interests and hires within the Administration. Finally, note that the new Chief of Staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison Michael Strautmanis is known to be very sensitive to disability issues, as referenced in a Washington Post Op Ed he authored last year.