Help support CA stem cell research initiative...

[amjsjc]

This is the easiest way to contribute three billion collars to medical science without, well, actually having three billion dollars:

As most of you know Bush has placed substantial federal restrictions on the study of stem cells, which have the potential to revolutionize medicine. In response to this CA voters have placed a pro-stem cell research initiative on the november ballot, which will contribute $300 million a year to stem cell research (vs a measly $17 million in federal funding.)

Needless to say the usual cadre of religious fundamentalists/hard core abortion opponents are going to be fighting this thing tooth and nail...

This is the ballot measure's website:

http://www.curesforcalifornia.com/site/PageServer

and this is a news article on the initiative from the SF Chronicle:

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/06/04/MNG1G70S381.DTL

Donations will probably turn out to be incredibly useful. Thanks.

[phoebe]

1. unfortunately stem cells are under patent , practically ensuring

litigation somewhere down the line. Unless a measure is clearly written ensuring that "the people" will benefit the most, we will once again be rewarded with yet more infighting and more of our money wasted on litigation.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/DailyNews/wnt_stemcells010818..html
snip

The University of Wisconsin now holds the patent on how stem cells are created — and with Geron, can make patent claims on all of the existing stem cell lines the President talked about. Does that make them the big winners in any future research?

"No one has called us and said 'we hit the jackpot,'" said Carl Gulbrandsen, managing director of Warf University of Wisconsin. "People have called up and said to me, 'you are doing a good job.'"

But some scientists are saying they did hit the jackpot. With control of the only stem cells approved for federal research dollars, it is a monopoly that could limit other scientists' research.

"What the people are fighting over is who is going to control the future discoveries that are made through access to these early research tools," said Eisenberg.

http://www.rednova.com/news/stories/2/2004/05/21/story007.html

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -— Venture capital contributions keep flowing to the group supporting a proposed ballot measure that would provide $3 billion for stem cell research while a fledgling opposition led by the Catholic Church has begun to organize.

On Wednesday, venture capitalist Joseph Lacob, a partner with the heavyweight firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers of Woodside, contributed $500,000 and William Unger of Mayfield Venture Capital of Cupertino contributed $50,000, campaign finance records show. A month earlier, Kleiner Perkins partner John Doerr and his wife contributed $974,649 combined.

Doerr, who owns a stake in Google that could be worth as much as $3 billion when the Internet search engine goes public, didn't return telephone calls.

In all, Silicon Valley venture capitalists and their families have contributed more than $1.8 million to a campaign that has raised about $5.3 million since late last year and is attempting to raise $20 million by the November election. Supporters submitted 1 million signatures to the secretary of state in April and the proposition is expected to soon qualify for the November ballot.

http://www.bereskinparr.com/publications/art_html/biotech-stemcell-nador.html

[LiberalFighter]

2. 2 ways to donate

Donate in gw*s name.

Donate gw*s stem cells.