Friday Jul 25, 2014

Human Trafficking for Biomedical Research

Theresa Deisher, Ph.D.

President & CEO Sound Choice Pharmaceutical Institute www.soundchoice.org

Introduced by: Alan Pratt

Human trafficking has expanded beyond slave labor and prostitution to include trafficking for biomedical research and therapy.  This market is a transfer from the weak, the poor and the vulnerable to the rich and powerful.  Organs from executed prisoners, refugees and illiterate villagers supply the developed world’s demand for transplant; eggs from impoverished and vulnerable women supply the raw materials for cloning research; and children from conception through their teenage years are targeted for their stem cells to be used in research, cosmetic treatments and medical therapies.  Scientifically and ethically superior alternatives exist, and commercial development of these alternatives will be a critical factor to halt human trafficking for biomedical purposes.

About the Speaker

Dr. Theresa Deisher’s career has focused on discovering and developing new therapies for grievous human illness. Dr. Deisher obtained her Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Physiology from Stanford University and has spent over 20 years in commercial biotechnology, working with companies such as Genentech, Repligen, ZymoGenetics, Immunex and Amgen, prior to founding AVM Biotechnology and Sound Choice Pharmaceutical Institute (SCPI). AVMB iotechnology is the marquee prolife biotech company worldwide, certifying that it does not use morally illicit material in any process. SCPI’s mission is to end human trafficking in biomedical research.

Dr. Deisher is an inventor on 23 issued US patents, and her discoveries have led to clinical trials of FGF18 for osteoarthritis and cartilage repair, and for Factor XIII for surgical bleeding. Dr. Deisher was the first person to discover adult cardiac derived stem cells, and has been a champion of adult stem cell research, both professionally and privately, for two decades. Dr. Deisher was a plaintiff in the US federal lawsuit to prohibit use of federal tax payer dollars for embryo destructive research, which was instrumental in steering science towards adult stem cell research, which has led to 14 US FDA approved adult stem cell products and the Washington Post Dec 2013 headline “Scientists go ethical in 2013”.

She is a frequent lecturer on the stem cell issues delving into topics such as ; research, clinical progress, policy, economics and ethics. She provides a breath of fresh air with a common sense approach which allows lay audiences to readily grasp the issues. Dr. Deisher has appeared on numerous radio shows, televised debates and live on The World Over Live with Raymond Arroyo.