U.S. Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, chaired a hearing today to commemorate the 20^th anniversary of the world’s worst nuclear accident at the Chornobyl power plant in Ukraine. The health, environmental, and socio-economic costs of the disaster at Chornobyl continue to have a profound impact on countries in the region, especially Ukraine and Belarus – which bore the brunt of Chornobyl’s radioactive fallout. The Helsinki Commission hearing looked toward the future by exploring the potential treatments for victims of radiological attack. 

    “The bitter legacy of Chornobyl continues to be felt twenty years later, and the consequences of this horrific disaster will remain with the people of the region for a long time to come,” said Smith.

    There is a growing amount of data that shows the possibility of rescuing and helping individuals exposed to lethal doses of radiation by restoring their bone marrow function with hematopoietic (blood forming) stem cells from cord blood. In December, 2005, Rep. Smith’s landmark Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005, which provided $265 million for life saving stem cell therapy, cord blood and bone marrow transplant, became law. Leukemia, known to be one of the diseases caused by radiological accident or attack, is known to be cured by cord blood. The latent period remains unknown. 

    “As we continue to fight the Global War on Terror, it is important that we research and develop cures for worst case scenarios including a nuclear disaster,” Smith said. “Cord blood has the potential to treat victims of this and other nightmarish catastrophes and has achieved greater results than any other form of stem cell research in the past year.” 

    Testifying at the hearing were: Stephen G. Rademaker, Acting Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation; Oleh Shamshur, Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States; David Marples, Professor of History at the University of Alberta and author of three books on Chornobyl; Pablo Rubenstein, M.D., Director, National Cord Blood Program at the New York Blood Center; and Kathleen Ryan, Executive Director, USA, Chernobyl Children’s Project International.

    “While the international community, including the United States, has provided invaluable assistance in helping to mitigate the effects Chornobyl’s devastating legacy, there is still work to be done. We cannot afford to close our eyes, or our hearts, to the problems that continue to this day,” Smith said.