Editorial: Save the Stem Cells

UC likes living on the technological edge. So when California allocated funds for stem cell research as mandated by Proposition 71, UC was one of the first that stood to benefit. With our help, such research could lead to breakthrough drugs for cancer and congenital diseases. But in its haste to see some returns on this endeavor, the state legislature may make a big mistake by adopting provisions of the 1980 Bayh-Dole Patent and Trademark Act.
This federal law was designed to give universities more leeway in taking lab work to market. The act allowed universities to patent federally funded research and license the results to companies, helping to develop their findings for profit.

Bayh-Dohl didn't exactly break new ground: Universities have always had close relationships with related industries. Professors at some universities even get a day off per week to consult with them.

But Bayh-Dole benefits industry more than it helps universities. The act has changed the way universities conduct research, giving rise to complex corporate relationships. Even now, the stem-cell board that doles out funds cannot give UC...