Actor Michael J. Fox comes to Ohio to boost Brown’s campaign

Dayton Daily News

COLUMBUS — Actor Michael J. Fox on Monday appeared onstage in the hometown of his fictional Republican television character Alex P. Keaton and gave an un-Alex-like stump speech tweaking conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh and praising Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Sherrod Brown.

Fox, 45, who is fighting Parkinson's Disease, has been stumping for candidates in Missouri, Maryland, Iowa and Wisconsin who endorse embryonic stem cell research. Monday was his first appearance advocating for an Ohio candidate.

"A vote for Sherrod Brown is a vote for hope and a better quality of life for millions of Americans," he said during a visit to the Michael E. Moritz School of Law on Ohio State University's campus.

Brown has repeatedly voted for and supported embryonic stem cell research. DeWine this summer voted against a bill that would allow federal funding for stem cell research.

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10/31/2006 / Permalink / stem cells, (all tags)

Actor Fox brings stem-cell issue into Senate race

Plain Dealer

Actor Michael J. Fox, who became famous playing a conservative Republican from Columbus on the 1980s television sitcom "Family Ties," made a homecoming of sorts Monday to show his support for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Sherrod Brown - and to plop the issue of embryonic stem cell research into the race.

Brown has not pushed the issue as he tries to oust two-term Republican Sen. Mike DeWine. To DeWine, research on stem cells from embryos involves destroying human life.

By appearing at Ohio State University alongside Fox, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, Brown highlighted one more of his many differences with DeWine. Brown, a seven-term congressman, backs government-supported embryonic stem cell research because he believes it could lead to a cure for Parkinson's and other diseases.

Fox said he is "supporting candidates who support all forms of stem cell research in races where their opponents don't." That includes Democrats in several other states.

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10/31/2006 / Permalink / stem cells, (all tags)

Michael J Fox Stumps for Stell Cell Research and Sherrod Brown

Watch highlights from yesterday's important event in Columbus:

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10/31/2006 / Permalink / stem cells, Video, (all tags)

CNN: Michael J. Fox and Sherrod Brown

10/30/2006 / Permalink / stem cells, Video, (all tags)

Sherrod Brown, Michael J. Fox, Rally for the Cure

Cite the life-saving potential of embryonic stem cell research for millions

COLUMBUS, OH -- Sherrod Brown and famed actor Michael J. Fox today were joined by doctors, advocates, and affected patients for a rally calling for expanded federal funding of stem cell research.  Brown, who was endorsed by the Doctors Organized for Health Care Solutions on Thursday, has worked to expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research and the National Institutes of Health as the lead Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health.  DeWine has taken an extreme position against embryonic stem cell research, and according to his website, "Senator DeWine will oppose any bill that would expand existing policy by allowing the government to pay for studies on embryos in frozen storage at fertility clinics, even if the couples who conceive them certify that they would otherwise discard them."

"Stem cell research may lead to the most significant medical breakthroughs made possible by science today," said U.S. Representative Brown.  "We must empower scientists to pursue cures that could save millions of Americans without ever letting politics get in the way.  Senator DeWine is out-of-the mainstream on stem cell research, opposing members of his own party like Senate Majority Leader Frist and First Lady Reagan."

Michael J. Fox became a nationally recognized spokesman for expanded stem cell research when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.  According to doctors, stem cell research has the promise to cure and treat Parkinson's, diabetes, paralysis and down the road, diseases like Alzheimer's.  The scientific community recognizes stem cell research as having a unique potential to cure disease. "Throughout my lifelong pursuit of better health for my patients, there has never been a more promising breakthrough than that of early stem cell research. While this technology is relatively new, the early results hold tremendous promise for relieving human suffering and finding cures for hundreds of thousands of our citizens who are afflicted by debilitating diseases for which we currently have no good answers." -- E. Grey Diamond, M.D. - Provost, Health Sciences, Emeritus, University of Missouri and former president of the American College of Cardiology.

"We must not let ideology trump science," added Brown.  "We owe it to the families here today to give scientists every dollar they need to discover tomorrow's cures."

10/30/2006 / Permalink / stem cells, (all tags)

DeWine Cut a Lifeline for Ohio Families

DeWine voted to cut funding for medical technology, stood in way of life-saving stem cell research

CLEVELAND, OH -- Incumbent Republican Senator Mike DeWine has blocked funding for medical technology and research critical to saving the lives of Ohioans.  He helped draft legislation that cut funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the first time in 36 years and has been a vocal opponent of stem cell research.

"Senator DeWine voted to give billions of dollars in tax cuts to millionaires while slashing funding for medical research," said U.S. Representative Sherrod Brown (D-OH).  "He limited seniors' access to their prescribed treatments by voting for a bill that prohibited Medicare from negotiating for lower prescription drug prices and left a gap in coverage costing seniors more than $2,000.  Mike DeWine's misplaced priorities cut off a lifeline for Ohioans hoping for a cure."

DeWine served as a conferee on the Labor-HHS Conference Committee which cut 2006 funding for the NIH by $34 million.  DeWine also supported the 2003 GOP prescription drug bill, which prohibited Medicare from negotiating with the drug companies for lower prices.  DeWine has now accepted more than $390,000 in contributions from the drug industry.

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08/23/2006 / Permalink / stem cells, (all tags)

Republicans, Doctors, and Americans Support Life-Saving Stem Cell Research

Mike DeWine Supports George W. Bush

Once again Ohio Republican incumbent Senator Mike DeWine stood with President George W. Bush and other rubber-stamp Republicans instead of Ohio families. On Tuesday, a bipartisan coalition of U.S. Senators passed critical stem cell legislation (H.R. 810) that would benefit millions of Americans suffering from debilitating diseases and injuries. Republican Senators John McCain (AZ), Trent Lott (MS), Orrin Hatch (UT) and Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist (TN) joined Democrats in supporting the measure.

Despite the bipartisan effort in the Senate, and overwhelming support from doctors, patient advocacy groups, religious organizations, and 72 percent of the American public, DeWine sided with Bush and voted against this life-saving research.

Later today, the president is expected to veto the legislation, also opposed by Pennsylvania Republican incumbent Senator Rick Santorum. This will be the first veto ever of the administration.

"Opposing this legislation is tantamount to deliberately standing in the way of a cure that could help a child suffering from diabetes or a grandmother suffering from Alzheimer"s," Brown said. "Mike DeWine proved he is outside the mainstream with the needs of Ohio families. It is time to rid Ohio of rubber stamp representation. It is time for change. "

The scientific community, which strongly backs H.R. 810, has said that advancing stem cell research will offer potential cures to paralysis victims as well as sufferers of diabetes, Alzheimer"s, Parkinson"s disease, and other serious conditions.

"This administration"s policies are holding the scientific community back from developing new therapies for a range of devastating diseases," said Dr. Wendy Macklin, a neuroscientist at the Cleveland Clinic who is a member of the Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine. "This bill would allow us to fully investigate these questions. Until we know whether and how these cells could be used, we cannot move this important field forward."

Brown has been a leader in Congress on advancing medical research, including working closely with the Christopher Reeves Foundation. Brown, an original cosponsor of the legislation that passed the House on May 24, 2005 also co-authored the bipartisan Children"s Act of 2000, which expanded research on autism birth defects, and other child-related diseases.

"It is clear that the majority of Americans and medical professionals support advancing stem cell research," said Ohio Congressman Sherrod Brown (D-OH). "Unfortunately, Senator DeWine once again failed to stand up to the president on behalf of the millions of Ohioans that will benefit from this life saving research."

07/19/2006 / Permalink / stem cells, (all tags)

Brown urges DeWine to end year-long obstruction on stem cell research bill

STEM-CELL OBSTRUCTION HITS ONE-YEAR MARK; 716,000 OHIO DIABETES PATIENTS WAITING FOR CURE

Brown Urges DeWine to Stop Helping Bush Block Life-Saving Research, Let Senate Hold Vote on Stem Cells

AMHERST--Congressman Sherrod Brown (D-Lorain County) today called on incumbent Republican Senator Mike DeWine to support a measure that would expand stem-cell research, which could provide hope for millions of sufferers of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, cancer, diabetes, ALS, and spinal cord injuries, among other serious conditions.

"We have a moral obligation to seek cures that will save lives," Brown said. "How much longer will President Bush and Senator DeWine force Ohio families to wait for the full promise of stem cell research?"

The bipartisan Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act has been blocked in the U.S. Senate since it was passed by the House on May 24, 2005. The legislation is opposed by Bush and some Republican allies in Congress -- including DeWine - but enjoys overwhelming support from the public. A national poll conducted earlier this month found that 72% of respondents supported advancing stem-cell research, with only 24% opposed.

Brown was an original co-sponsor of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.

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05/23/2006 / Permalink / Health Care, Seniors, stem cells, (all tags)