DNA Testing for Adoptees Registry
January 3, 2005 - 2:30 PM by Nancy Hemenway
Category: Press Room
Views: 8082
Source: Orchid
| OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | |
Orchid BioSciences, Inc. (609) 750-2200 |
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ORCHID TO PROVIDE IDENTITY DNA TESTING SERVICES FOR KINSEARCH REGISTRY | |
Princeton, NJ, Aug. 26, 2004 - Orchid BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: ORCH) today announced that it has signed an agreement with the Kinsearch Registry to provide genetic testing services to create DNA identity profiles for registry participants. The Kinsearch Registry was established by the Center for Information and Research on Adoption, Inc. to help adoptees identify and locate biological siblings and other birth family members. This registry is believed to be the first of its kind specifically focused on using genetic profiles to reunite siblings following adoption. Under the terms of the agreement, Orchid will analyze samples submitted by participants and run the resulting DNA identity profiles against profiles in the participant database to identify any “matches.” The Kinsearch Registry will inform each participant of the initial search result as well as about any subsequent match as additional participants join the Registry. Counselors are available to Registry participants to help guide and support them during the search process and with family reunification in the event a match is found. Orchid will confidentially and securely maintain the genetic profiles in a permanent database. Participants may request that their profile be withdrawn from the Registry at any time. Additional terms of the agreement were not disclosed. “Genetic identity testing is increasingly being used by individuals to confirm relationships, and we are pleased to have been selected by the Kinsearch Registry to play a critical role in this pioneering initiative designed to help unite both child and adult adoptees with their biological siblings,” said Paul J. Kelly, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Orchid. “This agreement speaks to our strong reputation for quality DNA testing and illustrates how we are leveraging our established market position to capture new segments of genetic identity testing, while providing a valuable service to adoptees and their families.” The Kinsearch Registry will initially include adoptees from China, Russia, Guatemala and South Korea, which are the countries that represent the largest sources of international adoptions. Other countries that are significant sources of foreign adoption are expected to join over time, and discussions with several are already underway. “Siblings adopted by foreigners are often adopted and relocated from their homeland separately, yet many of these adoptees want to be able to find their biological brothers and sisters as they grow older,” said Barbara Rappaport, Director of the Kinsearch Registry. “This new service, which enables siblings to be matched solely on the basis of DNA, is a groundbreaking initiative in the international adoption community, and we seek to provide a worldwide database through which biological relatives separated by circumstances may easily, reliably and inexpensively find one another and be reunited.” Rappaport continued, “We are pleased to have formed an alliance with Orchid, which has a reputation for providing accurate, reliable results and adhering to the highest standards, for the creation and maintenance of our Registry database. In addition, Orchid shares our commitment to providing international adoptees a heretofore unavailable opportunity to find members of their birth families wherever they are in the world.” A total of 21,616 foreign-born children were adopted by U.S. citizens in 2003, with 75%, or 16,186 of them coming from China, Russia, Guatemala and South Korea, the four countries included in the database currently maintained by the Registry. This data is based on information published by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, and the Joint Council on International Children’s Services. The Kinsearch Registry is currently finalizing its website, www.kinsearchregistry.org, for launch within the next few weeks. About the Kinsearch Registry | |
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INCIID and 2005: A New Year and More Programs
December 26, 2004 - 9:14 AM by Nancy Hemenway
Category: Join INCIID and Support Us
Views: 3356
Source: INCIID
Dear INCIIDers
As 2004 quickly draws to a close and 2005 approaches, INCIID prepares to celebrate it's first decade of providing life-changing information, support and outreach to the many patients, former patients and their families. Your contributions and generosity have helped INCIID establish wonderful programs and services. We thank those who support INCIID with annual membership and contributions. You are the cornerstones of our organization. It is through your selfless giving that INCIID maintains a strong sense of togetherness and family. You help us provide all members with promise and hope of family-building success.
At a time when public interest in reproductive science and technology is at an all time high, private support for INCIID's programs and educational materials is not keeping pace with the needs of the INCIID community. While the media often paints a picture of rich couples creating designer babies, you know and understand nothing could be further from the truth. Our mission to educate the public and provide services to the infertility, pregnancy loss and adoption population is important and difficult. Every dollar you contribute helps ensure INCIID’s continued success and outreach to those who need our resources the most. These philanthropic funds are vital to our ability to keep INCIID's voice an independent representation of your voice!
We invite you our contributing members of INCIID to help us secure our work by making a commitment and end-of-year tax-deductible contribution.
To make a donation visit
https://www.inciid.org/inciiddonate.phtml
INCIID Programs and Services for 2005
* From INCIID the Heart: The First National IVF Scholarship Program - We hope to increase the number of cycles to 300+ a year in 2005. We also want to add adoption stipends and scholarships to this fund. Emilie's Legacy donations directly support this program.
* Access to reproductive endocrinologists, attorneys, adoption specialists and other volunteer professionals to answer your questions.
* Educational materials and fact sheets - All free to the public 24/7
* Celebrity Chat Series
* Launched the OBRS (Outcome Based Reporting System)
* Extensive Insurance advocacy and Information including a forum and email lists
* Annual ART Resource Guide: An extensive resource from some of the best known physicians, therapists, attorney's and adoption experts in the world
* The Miscarriage Resource Manual
* Infertility Times: The Official Magazine for INCIID
* An extensive database of professionals searchable by zip code
* The largest online infertility, pregnancy loss and adoption community worldwide
* Male Infertility Teleconference and Webinar
* Complementary Medicine Teleconference and Webinar
* Representation at the Annual Society for Reproductive Medicine Meeting
* More than 6 Million unique visitors to our website this past year
* More than 10 million individual pages are served to our community every month
* INCIID reached out to the media this year and provided information to millions through media outreach and coverage with: People Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, New York Times,U.S. News & World Report, Washington Post, Conceive Magazine, NPR and much more.
* Outcome Based Reporting of IVF Statistics
* Joint projects with other nonprofits
* Add a help line
* Release the annual 2006 ART Directory to be launched October 2005
* Increase the Heart Program cycles to more than 300 per year
* Add adoption stipends to the Heart Program
* Add an advocacy component for insurance and infertility at the Federal Level of Government
* Increase adoption advocacy awareness
* Continue to educate the media about Infertility and Pregnancy Loss
In a very real sense INCIID Community Members help insure the future of the organization
I hope you will accept my invitation to contribute a year-end tax deductible donation to INCIID.
https://www.inciid.org/inciiddonate.phtml
I think you will find donating to such a worthy cause will be both fulfilling and pleasurable in knowing you have helped a family achieve their dream of having a family.
Thank you in advance for your generous support. Have a safe and happy holiday and new year.
With warm regards,
Nancy
Nancy P. Hemenway
INCIID Executive Director
Phone: (703) 379-9178
FAX: (703) 379-1593
At a time when public interest in reproductive science and technology is at an all time high, private support for INCIID's programs and educational materials is not keeping pace with the needs of the INCIID community. While the media often paints a picture of rich couples creating designer babies, you know and understand nothing could be further from the truth. Our mission to educate the public and provide services to the infertility, pregnancy loss and adoption population is important and difficult. Every dollar you contribute helps ensure INCIID’s continued success and outreach to those who need our resources the most. These philanthropic funds are vital to our ability to keep INCIID's voice an independent representation of your voice!
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ADOPTION INSTITUTE ASKS FOX TO ABANDON REALITY SHOW, CALLING IT `DESTRUCTIVE'
December 16, 2004 - 11:23 PM by Nancy Hemenway
Category: Press Room
Views: 5992
Source: The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute
MEDIA ADVISORY: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Hollee McGinnis, Policy Director ADOPTION INSTITUTE ASKS FOX TO ABANDON REALITY SHOW, CALLING IT `DESTRUCTIVE' NEW YORK, December 15, 2004 - The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute today called on Fox Television to scrap its planned new reality program, "Who's Your Daddy," calling it "destructive, insensitive and offensive" to the tens of millions of Americans with adoption in their families. "No reasonable person would stand for such a show if it treated race, gender, ethnicity or religion in such a crass, intrusive manner," said Adam Pertman, the Adoption Institute's Executive Director. "And we shouldn't tolerate it, either, when it deals with such an important, personal component of so many people's lives." In the Fox program - due to air as a special next month, with additional episodes already filmed - an adult who was adopted years ago interviews eight men to figure out which of them is her biological father. If she guesses right, she wins $100,000; if she fails, the contestant who fooled her gets the money. The show's producers contend that critics are lambasting "Who's Your Daddy" without having seen it, but Pertman countered: "You don't have to watch something racist, sexist or homophobic to understand that its concept is a problem. In this case, the very idea of taking such a deeply personal, complex situation and turning it into a money-grubbing game show is perverse, destructive, insensitive and offensive." The Adoption Institute is one of the pre-eminent policy, research and education organizations in its field; because it is independent of any interest group, the Institute has long been a source of accurate, unbiased information for journalists, researchers and policymakers. Its award-winning website contains extensive information on adoption-related issues, including ones relating to ethics and best practices. Pertman, a Pulitzer Prize nominee for his writing about adoption in The Boston Globe, is the author of the groundbreaking book "Adoption Nation: How the Adoption Revolution is Transforming America." He lectures throughout the country and abroad, and his commentaries on adoption, foster care and nontraditional families have appeared in numerous major print and broadcast media. To arrange an interview, or for more information, please contact Pertman at 617-332-8944 (office), 617-763-0134 (cell) or apertman@adoptioninstitute.org. The Institute website is http://www.adoptioninstitute.org
Adam Pertman, Executive Director
apertman@adoptioninstitute.org
617-332-8944 or 617-763-0134
hmcginnis@adoptioninstitute.org
212-925-4089 or 646-263-9236
"No reasonable person would stand for such a show if it treated race, gender, ethnicity or religion in such a crass, intrusive manner," said Adam Pertman, the Adoption Institute's Executive Director. "And we shouldn't tolerate it, either, when it deals with such an important, personal component of so many people's lives."
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READ: Human Rights for the Disabled
November 4, 2004 - 11:56 PM by Nancy Hemenway
Category: Insurance & Advocacy
Views: 2732
Source: Washington Post November 3, 2004
Human Rights for the Disabled
By Dick Thornburgh and Alan Reich
Wednesday,
Please read the complete article Washington Post Online
A constitutional court in a Southeast Asian country upholds a decision that disqualifies an accomplished lawyer from serving in the judiciary because he uses a wheelchair. A court in a European nation awards damages to plaintiffs who sue a hotel, complaining that their holiday was ruined when they were forced to share the company of a guest who held her fork with her feet because she was born without arms. A girl who has a mental disability is taken from her home in South America to live in an institution where she is put in a cage; she soon dies of malnutrition and exposure. Are these human rights issues? Matters for international legal concern? They certainly are if one agrees that such abuse and discrimination are unacceptable in a caring world community.
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Help SAVE IDEA for Special Needs Children
November 4, 2004 - 10:53 AM by Nancy Hemenway
Category: Parenting
Views: 2662
Source: INCIID Advocacy
Hi, everyone. As you know, the IDEA has been under attack in Congress and the final bill is expected within the next 2 weeks. We need to get as many faxes up to the Hill as possible, and we need to get them to the key Congressional aides working on the bill. We're looking for quantity. If you can get grandparents and friends to dothis, too, that would be great. If not, please take 10 minutes to be an activist for our children -- SEE Full article and sample letter.
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Flu, Shots and How to Protect Yourself from the CDC
October 27, 2004 - 9:57 AM by Nancy Hemenway
Category: News & Announcements
Views: 6149
Source: Centers for Disease Control
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Interim Influenza Vaccination Recommendations — 2004–05 Influenza Season October 05, 2004 | |
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On October 5, 2004, CDC was notified by Chiron Corporation that none of its influenza vaccine (Fluvirin®) would be available for distribution in the United States for the 2004–05 influenza season. The company indicated that the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the United Kingdom, where Chiron’s Fluvirin vaccine is produced, has suspended the company’s license to manufacture Fluvirin vaccine in its Liverpool facility for 3 months, preventing any release of this vaccine for this influenza season. This action will reduce by approximately one half the expected supply of trivalent inactivated vaccine (flu shot) available in the United States for the 2004–05 influenza season. The remaining supply of influenza vaccine expected to be available in the United States this season is nearly 58 million doses of Fluzone® (inactivated flu shot) manufactured by Aventis Pasteur, Inc. Of these doses, approximately 30 million doses already have been distributed by the manufacturer. In addition, approximately 3 million doses of live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV/FluMist ®) manufactured by MedImmune will be available this season. Because of this urgent situation, CDC, in coordination with its Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP), is issuing interim recommendations for influenza vaccination during the 2004–05 season. These interim recommendations were formally recommended by ACIP on October 5, 2004, and take precedence over earlier recommendations. Priority Groups for Influenza VaccinationThe following priority groups for vaccination with inactivated influenza vaccine this season are considered to be of equal importance and are:
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Other Vaccination Recommendations
Vaccination of Persons in Nonpriority GroupsPersons who are not included in one of the priority groups described above should be informed about the urgent vaccine supply situation and asked to forego or defer vaccination. Persons Who Should Not Receive Influenza VaccinePersons in the following groups should not receive influenza vaccine before talking with their doctor:
Information on Other Ways to Prevent the Flu | |
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