Posted on 03/18/2012 6:23:54 PM PDT by SmithL
LOS ANGELES -- The creation of California's stem cell agency in 2004 was greeted by scientists and patients as a turning point in a field mired in debates about the destruction of embryos and hampered by federal research restrictions.
The taxpayer-funded institute wielded the extraordinary power to dole out $3 billion in bond proceeds to fund embryonic stem cell work with an eye toward treatments for a host of crippling diseases. Midway through its mission, with several high-tech labs constructed, but little to show on the medicine front beyond basic research, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine faces an uncertain future.
Is it still relevant nearly eight years later? And will it still exist when the money dries up?
The answers could depend once again on voters and whether they're willing to extend the life of the agency.
Several camps that support stem cell research think taxpayers should not pay another cent given the state's budget woes.
"It would be so wrong to ask Californians to pony up more money,"
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
So, the over all message of the article is $6 billion = basically, practically nothing.
It’s HUGELY expensive therapy, not only to research, but especially to carry out, as it’s often CUSTOMIZED for each patient in order to provide tissue matches.
It will be funded only to the extent the experts can convince that stem cells will obviate the need for other costly surgeries, etc.
That’s years or perhaps decades off (for the *mass market*) so ironically the 95% liberal scientific staff of research Univerties will get the axe.
Or suffer heavy cut-backs, at least.
By chance have you heard of any results from Illinois ‘investment’ in stem cell research?
Any scientific breakthroughs?
Gov Blago simply scooped funds from the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) into stem cell research!
Must be good to be king?
Now that Blago is in prison do we get our money back?
I guarantee that this program was extremely political in how it was run and how the money was distributed.
ILLINOIS went cheap!
Illinois.gov - Illinois Government News Network (IGNN) -
CHICAGO - Governor Rod R. Blagojevich and Comptroller Dan Hynes today announced ten grants worth a total of $10 million for the life-saving work of stem cell research at several Illinois hospitals and research institutions. Last summer by Executive Order, Governor Blagojevich and Comptroller Hynes created the Illinois Regenerative Medicine Institute (IRMI), making Illinois the first state in the Midwest, and only the fourth state in the nation, to commit public funds to stem cell research.
http://www.illinois.gov/pressreleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=3&RecNum=4799
Probably would have worked if they could have gotten the solar and wind power necessary to drive the program. Must be conservatives fault.
California could really use 6 Billion right about now. This program is an Epic Fail but it won’t be portrayed that way by the media. (if they even mention it at all).
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