RP operation at LSU in 1984

I found the post below in the blogosphere. I have put a call in to RP International to verify this. I did find a press release regarding the Vision awards. In it, it does discuss the adult stem cell procedure that restored vision. This makes sense in light of the article about the procedure done with a patient's own cells at Moorfields. I will post any new information I receive.

I refuse to believe Americans are so ignorant they cannot discern the ethical difference between using adult stem cells and embryos. Or, maybe it is the result of an orchestrated attempt to polarize people and keep them misinformed. The advantages of living in a global community in the information age are becoming increasingly apparent. I definitely need to pray on this one.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Stem Cell Debate Cuts Off Cures For The Blind
Proven cures for blindness using adult stem cells are already available, says an advocate for the blind. But these cures are being held back by politics and the use of stem cells as a wedge issue in election campaigns, she says.Helen Harris, founder and president of RP International in Los Angeles, says that even though the main controversy revolves around ethical use of embryonic stem cells, politics has infected the entire scientific field and has had a chilling effect on adult stem cell applications as well.Acrimonious political campaigns have spread misunderstanding and discouraged funding of all stem cell research in the United States, says Harris. For example, she points to an adult stem cell transplant program at a Louisiana State University hospital that was quietly discontinued in the midst of public political rancor, even though it did not involve embryonic cells and had already led to a successful degenerative blindness cure back in 1984, according to Harris, who had been personally involved with the project.Harris is herself blind, along with two of her sons, from retinitis pigmentosa. She started RP International more than 20 years ago and has raised million of dollars for blindness research, especially involving the Hollywood entertainment industry. Her organization's annual Vision Awards honor celebrities, scientists and other notables for outstanding creativity. The 2006 Vision Awards in Beverly Hills took special note ofadult stem cell research by honoring a patient who was able to regain sight thanks to the LSU technique after more than 20 years of blindness.Harris announced today that her organization will establish a new fund-raising campaign to aid development of adult stem cell treatments for blindness and other disorders."I'd love to discuss with Michael J. Fox and others on all sides of this issue to find common ground and make sure programs like that at LSU get a chance to help millions afflicted by degenerative blindness along with other major disorders," says Harris.
posted by Scott Nance at 11/07/2006 03:40:00 PM

Link to the press release on the Vision Awards:

http://www.visionawards.com/pressrelease.cfm?newspressid=22

If this is true, I am going to have to start exercising to "old school" Metallica again. You know, their albums before James Hetfield cut his hair and went to therapy....prior to Lars selling out? I thought I was past that seething anger phase. I suppose God can co-opt most anything for catharsis, even old school Metallica....