CALABASAS, Calif., Oct. 18, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- The ALS Association (ALSA) has announced its endorsement of the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative. The initiative, which appears on the November 2004 ballot, would provide funds needed for the development of lifesaving therapies and cures for diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, that could save the lives of millions of California children and adults and reduce health care costs.
"The ALS Association believes that the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative (Proposition 71) will provide a legitimate scientific avenue for research," noted Steve Gibson, vice president of Government Relations and Public Affairs for ALSA.
The ALS Association joins a coalition that already includes Nobel Prize-winning scientists and medical experts, families involved in patient advocacy and efforts to cure diseases, and organizations like the California Medical Association, American Nurses Association of California, Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the Parkinson's Action Network.
It's estimated that 128 million Americans -- including millions of Californians -- suffer from diseases and injuries that could be treated or cured with stem cell therapies. These devastating medical problems affect a child or adult in nearly half of all families. They also result in hundreds of billions of dollars in health care costs annually.
The California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative was developed by a coalition of California families and medical experts determined to close the stem cell research funding gap. Currently, there is no state level funding for stem cell research and political roadblocks have severely limited federal funding for some of the most promising types of stem cell research. The initiative steps forward to provide the needed funding for lifesaving stem cell research, requires strict fiscal and public accountability, protects and benefits the state budget, and includes strict ethical deadlines.
ALS, more commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells and pathways in the brain and spinal cord. When these cells die, voluntary muscle control and movement dies with them. Patients in the later stages of the disease are totally paralyzed, yet in most cases, their minds remain sharp and alert.
Every day, an average of 15 people are newly diagnosed with ALS -- more than 5,600 people per year. As many as 30,000 Americans may currently be affected by ALS. Annually, ALS is responsible for two deaths per hundred thousand population.
The average life expectancy of a person with ALS is two to five years from time of diagnosis. But with recent advances in research and improved medical care, many patients are living longer, more productive lives.
The ALS Association is the only national not for profit voluntary health organization dedicated solely to the fight against ALS.
More information on the ALS Association can be obtained at www.alsa.org.
The A.L.S. Association logo is available at: http://media.primezone.com/prs/single/?pkgid=525