California’s state stem cell agency is down to its last $67.3 million following a decision today to back research to enhance bone healing in elderly patients who undergo spinal surgery.
The $4 million award went to Ankasa Regenerative Therapeutics following little discussion among members of the governing board of the $3 billion California Institute for Regenerative Medicine or CIRM, as the stem cell agency is known.
The only significant source of cash for the agency is the $3 billion in bonds approved by voters in 2004 via the ballot initiative process.
The stem cell agency was created in 2004 with $3 billion in funding. It expects to run out of cash for new awards later this year. CIRM is seeking to raise $220 million privately to tide it over until November 2020, when it hopes voters will approve another $5 billion in funding through the use of state bonds.
Full story at Capitol Weekly.
A bullet point listing of where the $3 bill went would be informative. Were there any scientific advances from that? Or is it too early to tell, since such matters take many years to resolve?
If there were even the suggestion of an “advance” from fetal stem cell research, we’d of heard about it by now.
Also, did they continue to use stem cells from
Children (aborted/murdered babies)? This brief comment references the elderly. . When this was approved it was already known that adult stem cells would work, and adults could produce their own stem cells to be applied for healing. It was also known that the stem cells from babies were unreliable! Propaganda and corruption rule us!
Why do they always say “stem cell agency or research” and not clarify that embryonic stem cells are used? And no, no diseases of humans have been advanced with the use of embryonic stem cells. Many human diseases, though, have been effectively treated using adult (non-embryonic) stem cells.
only $67.3 million??
barely enuff to cover last ditch
travel, hotels, drinks and banquets
for the venerable executive staff
who came up with exactly ZERO cures !