CGS-authored
An Institute of Medicine review of California’s prominent center for stem cell research found organizational flaws and called for sweeping changes to reduce potential conflicts of interest.
The report praised the taxpayer-funded California Institute for Regenerative Medicine for its aggressive pace in awarding grants totaling $1.3 billion to 59 institutions, saying, “CIRM and those it has funded have set in motion a significant scientific enterprise.” However, the IOM found the center’s practices generate concerns about transparency and potential bias that could undermine support for the CIRM.
Reviewers found “far too many” CIRM board members represent organizations that were awarded grants or benefited from the grants. The majority of board members should be independent with no conflicting personal or professional interests, the committee said.
The CIRM definition of conflict of interest should be retooled to “include non-financial interests, such as the potential for personal conflicts of interest to arise from one’s own affliction with a disease or personal advocacy on behalf of that disease,” the report said (iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2012/CIRM/CIRM_rb.pdf).
The IOM review called for the CIRM’s day-to-day operations to be...
The report praised the taxpayer-funded California Institute for Regenerative Medicine for its aggressive pace in awarding grants totaling $1.3 billion to 59 institutions, saying, “CIRM and those it has funded have set in motion a significant scientific enterprise.” However, the IOM found the center’s practices generate concerns about transparency and potential bias that could undermine support for the CIRM.
Reviewers found “far too many” CIRM board members represent organizations that were awarded grants or benefited from the grants. The majority of board members should be independent with no conflicting personal or professional interests, the committee said.
The CIRM definition of conflict of interest should be retooled to “include non-financial interests, such as the potential for personal conflicts of interest to arise from one’s own affliction with a disease or personal advocacy on behalf of that disease,” the report said (iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2012/CIRM/CIRM_rb.pdf).
The IOM review called for the CIRM’s day-to-day operations to be...