SD measure would ease stem cell research limits

Associated Press - September 27, 2009 1:05 PM ET

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - Former state Treasurer David Volk of Sioux Falls, a cancer survivor, says a proposed ballot issue to ease restrictions on stem cell research will strike a chord with South Dakotans because nearly everyone has had a serious disease or knows someone who has.

Volk heads a group called South Dakotans for Lifesaving Cures. He says the state's ban on research involving embryonic stem cells should be thrown out so more work can be done to help find cures and treatment for cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's and other diseases.

The group will have until April 6 to get the 16,776 valid signatures required to put the measure to a statewide public vote in November 2010.

An abortion opponent, state Rep. Roger Hunt of Brandon, predicts "considerable opposition" and says the Legislature might even try to deal with the issue before Volk's measure makes the ballot.

Stem cell research will provide a viable avenue to finding the cause and cure for disease processes. The increased attention given to this area of medicine is certainly understandable and of high significance. But what results has embryonic stem cell research produced to date? What is its true value?

Literally billions of dollars have been spent in the private sector on embryonic stem cell research. In fact, in 2005 the State of California alone took out 3 billion dollars in bond loans to fund embryonic stem cell research in that state. While adult stem cells have already produced therapies, embryonic stem cells have not. In addition, the most recent report from Israel published in PLoS Medicine in late February shows embryonic stem cells injected into patients can cause disabling if not deadly tumors.

It is important to understand adult stem cell research has scored major wins evident just in the past few months. Adult stem cell research involves human stem cells that are not derived from human embryos and occur in small quantities in organs throughout the body for natural growth and repair, and research has shown how to develop them into many cell types. In the 1950s, researchers discovered that bone marrow contains at least two kinds of stem cells. As a result, adult stem cells have been used successfully for years in bone marrow transplants. The fact remains most of the stem cell triumphs that the public hears about today involves adult stem cells.

One of the key arguments for embryonic stem cell research is that this cell has the flexibility to virtually turn into almost any type of cell in the human body. But a recent development in 2007 discovered the same capacity of adult stem cells to be created into what is called induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS). It involves reprogramming the DNA from adult skin, and they can turn into any cell in the body, bypassing the need for embryos. As of February, scientists have reported iPS cells can now be transformed into mature nerve cells. The cells also have a significantly lower cost, ease of production, and have an important genetic identity with the patient. They also bring unique application to medical and pharmaceutical research, because cells cultivated from patients with certain diseases readily become laboratory models for developing and testing therapy.

In addition, according to a January 9, 2007 Daily Telegraph (London) article reporting on a statement by Dr. Anthony Atala of Wake Forest University, the fluid surrounding the fetus has been found to contain stem cells, that, when utilized correctly, "can be differentiated towards cell types such as fat, bone, muscle, blood vessel, nerve and liver cells", according to the article. The extraction of this fluid is not thought to harm the fetus in any way. "Our hope is that these cells will provide a valuable resource for tissue repair and for engineered organs as well," said Dr Atala.

It is often claimed by pro-life supporters that the use of adult stem cells from sources such as umbilical cord blood has consistently produced more promising results than the use of embryonic stem cells. Furthermore, adult stem cell research may be able to make greater advances if less money and resources were channeled into embryonic stem cell research.

But as we talk about this issue across the state (should the petition become circulated and end up on the ballot) we will certainly be faced with the question my wife asked, “Why is my life more important than someone else’s?” The ending of a human life to potentially serve the medical needs of another should not be a tough choice for the people of this state. At least it isn’t for my wife, a stage 4 breast cancer survivor.

Ethanol Byproducts

The Argus Leader recently ran an article about some exciting research going on at SDSU.

Researchers are working to utilize dried distiller’s grain—the byproduct of ethanol production—for human consumption. They hope to use distiller’s grain as a high-protein, high-fiber additive to flour to improve the nutrition of flour based products.

Projects like these are great, in that they help maximize the value of our agricultural crops. Not only do we obtain renewable fuel from the corn, but we can potentially reap even more benefits from a bushel of corn in the form of improved nutrition and higher prices for distiller’s grains.

South Dakota and Medicaid

One of the biggest challenges for South Dakota's next governor will be how we approach the health care issue. Not only are the costs to individuals going through the roof, but the cost to our taxpayers is also going through the roof, and it may become even worse if some federal legislation passes.

The Wall Street Journal yesterday did a great job laying out some of the repercussions new rules could have. Of most concern is Medicaid, which works through a state and federal partnership with each pitching in some of the cost. The legislation currently being discussed will increase Medicaid eligibility levels to 133% of the federal poverty level (FPL), or $30,000 for a family of four.

Medicaid already comprises a significant portion of our state budget, and increasing the federally mandated eligibility levels will compound the existing budget problems for South Dakota.

Our campaign is currently in the middle of a 42 community health care summit tour across the state. I have had the opportunity to talk to many people about their health care. These are people who are on Medicare, Medicaid, people who can afford/buy insurance and people who are unemployed and can't afford insurance. There is no doubt in my mind we need to have a plan for South Dakota to cover our uninsured population and take care of our elderly, but federal legislation geared towards a one-size-fits-all approach will not be best for South Dakota. Not when paying for it comes at the cost of reduced benefits for our elderly and higher taxes on our working people and small businesses. That is why I dedicated a chapter to health care in my book "A Vision for South Dakota". A better plan for our state will focus on tort reform, covering uninsured, improving disease management and promoting prevention strategies to lower costs in the long run. Getting our state's budget back to a position of financial strength will be essential to solving this problem.

Advancing Education

The state can be applauded for working towards seeing the importance of distance learning and earning college credits prior to graduation. Now we need to get serious about creating significant partnerships with our postsecondary institutions, including our career and technical centers of education. By connecting our “kids to kareers” early on in life, we can hopefully instill an enthusiasm and a passion for their future.

From the Argus Leader:

State aims to boost Advanced Placement class rolls
Report ranks S.D. 34th in participation

Education officials hope online classes and cash incentives will increase the number of South Dakota high schoolers who take college-level Advanced Placement classes. The state ranked 34th in a recent report on AP class participation. The College Board said 9.8 percent of South Dakota's 2008 graduates passed an end-of-year exam in at least one AP class. The national average was 15.2 percent. It's largely a function of the state's rural nature: Small schools don't have enough students to justify face-to-face AP courses. The Sioux Falls School District said its students accounted for 44 percent of the AP exams taken in the state two years ago. But the emergence of online AP instruction has the potential to improve participation, especially in rural areas. The Department of Education has been offering online AP classes since 2002. For every student who earns a C or better, the state covers the school's $300 fee. Sarah Carter, who leads AP efforts at the Department of Education, said students in urban as well as rural areas have taken advantage. Some Sioux Falls and Rapid City students find they don't have room in their schedule for an AP class, so they take it online. The AP options make high school more rigorous but also give students a head start at the next level because colleges award credit toward graduation for high exam scores. "Financially, they're already that many credits into their college career," Carter said. One program run by Northern State University pays sparsely populated schools for providing AP courses. Another one funded by a federal grant pays students for doing well on any of seven online AP classes. Learning Power, which is run by Rapid City's Technology and Innovation in Education, is in its second year. Students who pass the final exam are awarded $100, and another $100 goes to their online teachers and local mentors.

Improving Health Care

Here's a very interesting article by Lawrence Kudlow that was recently published in Investors Business Daily.

According to Kudlow, the day after President Obama's health care speech, the markets for private health insurers, hospitals, and drug companies all spiked dramatically--a strong indicator that the market feels that the so-called public option is dead in the water.

Why not talk about some GOP alternatives that could dramatically help the health care option?

Much of the criticism of the health care system is aimed at the free market and its alleged "failure" to bring down prices like the free market usually does.

What free market? Let's eliminate the red tape that prohibits individuals from going across state lines to find a better deal on insurance. Why not allow those already on government assistance choose their own plans, in turn reducing the cost to government (i.e. taxpayers) as well? The free market works. Critics have pointed to a steady increase in health care as a percentage of GDP, yet this is simply the market responding to increased (and future) demand in the marketplace. The market is accounting for increases in treatable diseases and demand, and is also preparing itself for the upcoming baby-boomer generation.

Let's encourage various forms of alternative care that are cheaper, proactive, and can survive in our smaller communities better than a full-blown hospital and can give quality advice on further medical care if needed.

Tort reform. The legal costs to hospitals/doctors for insurance and frivolous lawsuits are astronomical. Texas passed measures to limit malpractice suits to $250,000 or less, and malpractice insurance policy-holders are seeing rate cuts and dividends--savings that will be passed on to patients through market competition. Not only that, insurance companies are flocking to the state to take advantage of a safer malpractice atmosphere, also increasing competition.

With increased insurance competition--both through tort reform and creating interstate competition--South Dakota could become a leader in the health care industry. With our business-friendly atmosphere, insurance companies would find our state a welcome home to provide affordable insurance to the rest of the country.

Let's try some of these alternatives and see how they work, rather than completely gutting out the system.

Having a Vision for Life, South Dakota

From the Pierre Capital Journal:

A New Vision for South Dakota

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GOP's Munsterman Stumps in Yankton

From the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan: