Aggregated News
California's stem cell institute has become a global leader by launching world-class research on promising medical treatments for devastating injuries and diseases. Now that the end of the agency's 10-year life span is in sight, it's time for the founders to step back and encourage universities and industry to take over the pursuit of therapies using these potent cells.
Voters approved a ballot proposition in 2004 to provide $3 billion in bond financing to bankroll the institute, known as the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, over 10 years. It was to jump-start research on potential treatments for conditions ranging from spinal cord injury to diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. Now the agency's chief advocate and former chairman, Robert Klein, is mulling a ballot initiative for 2014 or 2016 to raise up to $4 billion more to keep the institute going.
While this promising research is as important as ever, it would be wrong to ask for more public financing from California.
This state is in financial crisis with no full recovery in sight. Bankrolling the next phase of research would come...
Voters approved a ballot proposition in 2004 to provide $3 billion in bond financing to bankroll the institute, known as the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, over 10 years. It was to jump-start research on potential treatments for conditions ranging from spinal cord injury to diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. Now the agency's chief advocate and former chairman, Robert Klein, is mulling a ballot initiative for 2014 or 2016 to raise up to $4 billion more to keep the institute going.
While this promising research is as important as ever, it would be wrong to ask for more public financing from California.
This state is in financial crisis with no full recovery in sight. Bankrolling the next phase of research would come...