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Testimony of Charles Halpern, Public Interest Attorney and Member, Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences

Oversight Hearing on the Implementation of Proposition 71, the Stem Cell Research and Cures Act
Joint Hearing of the California Senate Subcommittee on Stem Cell Research Oversight, Senate Health Committee, and Assembly Health Committee
March 9, 2005

SUMMARY

This Oversight Hearing is an important milestone in the California effort to assume leadership in the field of stem cell research. Active legislative engagement with the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is essential for this initiative to succeed.

The Independent Citizen’s Oversight Committee (ICOC) has met four times since the passage of Proposition 71. While the ICOC has made some important decisions, it still must lay a solid foundation for its grants program. Grant guidelines and an operating budget must be developed. The conflict of interest problem, which affects all aspects of the ICOC process, must be addressed in a serious fashion.

I encourage the Senate Oversight Subcommittee to take the following steps:

Establish a regular schedule of oversight hearings, every two or...

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