The State of California is considering re-funding its stem cell agency, CIRM, to the tune of more than $5 billion dollars, but the issue has generated surprisingly little media attention. The main coverage has been by David Jensen over at California Stem Cell Report.
Prop 14 polling data non-existent in public domain
To my knowledge, there are also no poll results in the public domain about how California voters feel about Proposition 14, which is the measure that would give the stem cell agency that additional round of funding. In part for that reason, I’ve been doing polling here on The Niche about both whether people think the agency should be re-funded and then whether they think it will be re-funded by Prop 14.
I first did this polling back in January. A few weeks earlier than that in December 2019 I had predicted in my yearly 20 stem cell predictions (see here) for the new year that CIRM would be re-funded but by a narrow vote.
Will CIRM be funded?
Now, I’ve done the CIRM polling again in late September – early October, and I’m a little surprised at the results. (By the way, you can keep voting). I had thought that the pandemic and major economic consequences might have made respondents much more pessimistic.
You can see the January vs. newer Fall polling above. What struck me is how similar the results are. While none of the response options got a majority of votes, in both cases a plurality believe CIRM will be funded again. At most, respondents now are only a little less upbeat about that possibility.
The high-profile supporters of Prop 14 include Lauren and Seth Rogen.
There is a humorous pro-Prop 14 video up where Seth plays a stem cell in favor of CIRM’s efforts and the new funding.
Californians for Cures, the main group behind the proposition, has just started a major social media campaign including email blasts in the last few days.
You can see a logo from one of the emails above.
Should CIRM be funded?
Going back to the polling, perhaps not too surprisingly, respondents to both polls here on The Niche about whether CIRM should be funded (irrespective of what you think will happen) were very pro-CIRM. You can see those response outcomes by clicking on the links earlier in the post.
Note that this polling is not scientific and as mentioned above, The Niche readership (see my recent survey of the backgrounds of our readership here) is probably more pro-CIRM than average and it is not likely to be representative of California as a whole.
It’s still worthwhile to see how an engaged audience like ours feels about the future of the stem cell agency.
With Mesoblsast FDA BLA failure on AR aGvHD does the state want to leave the stem field at this time and leave the state investment from out in the cold ? I understand the imperfect structure ,but they out lay the benefits for the stat and country
Let’s talk Coronavirus and viral load referring to the amount of virus in an infected person’s blood. Viral IL-1is first step within hours fever, causing cytokine storm on to ARDS, are similar clinical findings seen in all COVID-19 infections. The question where do you stop it? Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) implicating occurrence of macrophage M 1or M2 activation syndrome (MAS) M2 is recovery , very high serum levels of both ferritin and D-dimer levels disproportionate with the severity of infection, as well as a tendency for monocytosis, rather than lymphocytosis, including a low number of natural killer (NK and NKT ) and cytotoxic T cells, What does MSC stem cell do to reboot , rescue and repair ??? Why are Stem cells is a more active way to boost the immune system than super antigen vaccinations being development that needs to educate the memory immune system.
Reboot the immune system re the CD4 activated system it is a very balance system . Enhanced production of cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α] and interleukin-6 [IL-6]) and chemokines (CXCL10, CCL2, CCL3, and CCL5) correlated with migration of NK cells, macrophages, and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) to area of infections . The important role of CD4+ but not CD8+ T cells is primary SARS-CoV infection recovery .
So J Loring, do you think that they monies/profits from your company should go back to California or do you think that it should go to you/your company? @admin, I am curious to see your position on this as well.
@admin? @jloring2014?.. Your silence is saying a lot
@Dan,
I believe the State of California should get a sizable chunk of profits from any firm that has received grant support from CIRM. However, I’m not sure the way CIRM is set up that that will consistently happen. Admittedly, I don’t have a good grasp of the specifics of the financial arrangements between CIRM and corporate grantees.
Also, I don’t know if CIRM gets funded again if California would stand to benefit financially in a bigger way from biotechs that have received CIRM funding go on to be successful.
I’m pro-stem cell research funding, of course, but CIRM has been a big part of my life for the last 15 years, and I have seen its flaws as well as its virtues. Without CIRM, the company I founded would not have raised so much investment for a stem cell-derived dopamine neuron therapy for Parkinson’s disease. CIRM funded the genomics, bioinformatics, and cell biology research that underlies the company’s plans to start a clinical trial in about a year. I am concerned that the new proposition amplifies flaws in the previous initiative. The 29-member board was expected to rise above their intrinsic conflicts, which put members in an impossible position; if a board member’s institution was denied a big grant, he or she would find it difficult to ignore the consequences, since their responsibility to their institutions is to bring in money for research. The new proposition increases the number of board members, which makes no sense- it should have been reduced. Unfortunate. So, I’m torn.
It’s not surprising that a poll run by a stem cell blog, where many readers may apply for CIRM funding, will vote to support CIRM funding for stem cells. I don’t think you have a good representation of California!
@WST,
I agree as I said in the post itself.
We do have a fair number of readers who are anti-CIRM as well though. It’s just one tiny snapshot.
I wish the backers of Prop 14 would release their internal polling of California more broadly.