I’m glad to see states such as New Jersey and California leading the way for stem cell funding. Hopefully it will lead to the passage of federal stem cell legislation. Legislative oversight is important for public confidence. New Jersey’s model seems to be effective in publicly funding research as it was the first state to award stem cell grants. As someone who volunteered for the California stem cell initiative and has mild cerebral palsy that might eventually be treated with stem cell therapy, I think it’s unfortunate that the California stem cell program has been stall in litigation, in part due to the lack of legislative oversight. But to its credit, California created new momentum for stem cell research. It raised the profile of the cause, turning it into a pivotal campaign issue that has lead to other states funding research and the election of pro-stem cell research candidates across the U.S., as well as the passage of federal legislation through congress, which will inevitably be vetoed by an ideologically-based and mis-informed presidential administration. Nonetheless, it has yielded political progress that I believe will eventually lead to federal funding of stem cell research, but at the high price of suffering, and possible death, of Americans with serious health conditions.

By Ben Kaplan on 03.22.07 3:06 am