StemCell Therapy

Over the last three months I served on the Patient and Medical Advisory Committee for Prop. 14, which will renew support for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).

It has been an honor and privilege to advocate for CIRM, because the research, education, and clinical trials it supports will save lives and reduce suffering. Were a diverse group, including patients, advocates, scientists, and students - brought together by the power of a state agency that has enabled a cure for children born without an immune system - so called bubble babies, and treatments for blindness and cancer.

In addition to a possible cure for diabetes, more than 90 other regenerative treatments and cures are in clinical trials. It is impossible to argue with these accomplishments.

Given that, some will argue against the economics of supporting CIRM through Prop. 14, which will involve the sale of $5.5 billion in bonds over the next 20 years. Contrast that to the $300 billion per year spent in California on healthcare.

Even if the only thing that comes from CIRM support is a cure for diabetes, it will pay for itself many times over, given that diabetes cost California $30 billion per year. But CIRM wont just enable a cure for diabetes - treatments and cures are being developed for dozens of other chronic diseases and conditions.

Can we afford Prop. 14 now, in the middle of the COVID-19 recession? We can. Bond repayments wont start for five years. After that, state revenue stimulated by CIRM will cover bond payments until 2030. At the same time, renewing support of CIRM will create 100,000 jobs. That is exactly the sort of stimulus we need right now.

View post:
Letters to the Editor: We can afford Prop. 14; Voting for Jordan Cunningham; Poll workers should be tested before, after election - Santa Maria Times

This entry was posted on October 29, 2020 at 10:56 pm and is filed under Regenerative Medicine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |