Promotional Information

"Stem Cell Research: Promise and Politics makes it clear that the promise of stem cell treatment lies not in the halls of politics, but in the hearts of people. No government can stand in the way of hope." -- Patti Davis, author of The Long Goodbye, a book about her father's struggle with Alzheimer's disease and the care that her mother, Nancy Reagan, provided during the various stages of this horrific disease. "From its inception the debate about support for stem cell research has been a mixture of science and politics. Solo and Pressberg make an eloquent case that the discussion should not be left either to scientists or politicians alone but rather should include a vocal and informed public-after all, the public has the largest stake in the outcome of this debate. They have defined a new role for public opinion--active, intelligent, and outspoken--and significantly raise the bar and define the potential role for public advocacy in future debates about other complex issues." -- Robert Goldstein, MD, PhD, MBA, Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International

About the Author

Pam Solo is President and Founder of the Civil Society Institute, an action-oriented think tank that works for social change. CSI focuses on science policy and climate change through innovative strategies and partnerships. She is the author of From Protest to Policy: Beyond the Freeze to Common Security (1988) and was awarded a MacArthur Prize Fellowship for her work in 1989. Gail Pressberg is a Senior Fellow at the Civil Society Institute, where she develops the Institute's stem cell advocacy program. With the American Association for the Advancement of Science, CSI initiated the first study and working group on the ethical policy options for stem cell research.

Reviews

Whatever constitutes one's point of view about embryonic stem cells, everyone agrees they are at the center of strong and emotional debate. Solo and Pressberg, president and stem cell advocacy specialist respectively at the Civil Society Institute, note how political reactions to the means and intentions of this research has recreated politics aside from traditional ideological and party lines and created some hitherto unlikely partners. They also describe the new ways in which researchers, patients, and those who feel they may be potential patients are advocating for government funding.
*SciTech Book News*

There is a growing and grassroots demand for action at the federal level on stem cell research. This is a core lesson of the 2006 mid-term election: People want this research to go forward and politicians will be rewarded for taking a clear and unambiguous stand on the issue. This reflects the fact that stem cell research is not a 'right' or 'left' issue--it is something that mainstream America wants to see happen.
*PR Newswire*