When I first started this blog back in 2010 the most contentious issue on the more political side of our field was federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. It was something you couldn’t take for granted. Some history on embryonic stem cell funding in the US There were times back then when funding of …
Is embryonic stem cell research a target after Roe? Read More »
The FDA and its CBER branch have been doing a good job overall in the last 3+ years to tackle the unproven stem cell clinic problem, but lately on the stem cells for COVID-19 front there is reason for real concern. I believe the agency is taking on major risk overall by clearing a vast number of …
Politics & FDA OK of 2 stem cell clinic COVID-19 efforts Read More »
Since Donald Trump was elected our new president the scientific community has tried to adjust to this new reality or at least absorb the shock that many felt. Responses from scientists range from “not my president” to “maybe it won’t be so bad”. Mostly it seems people are stressed about an uncertain future for science …
The REGROW Act would drastically weaken FDA regulation of experimental stem cell therapies. I’ve criticized it in numerous posts (see those here) for its radical ideas that would put patients and the stem cell field at risk. I’m not the only one concerned about it as both ARM and ISSCR oppose it too. Now 10 top patient advocacy …
Ten patient groups oppose REGROW Act that would gut stem cell oversight Read More »
The White House seems to be getting more active on genetics in the last six months. It’s refreshing to see them actually talking about real, important science. My feeling has been that up until now they’ve been giving too little attention to science so even if you may disagree with some aspects of what they …
The Obama Administration today weighed in on human germline genetic modification such as via CRISPR via a note from John Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The White House indicated support for the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and the National Academy …
White House supports moratorium on heritable human CRISPR Read More »
The Vatican 2nd Stem Cell Meeting starts tomorrow and by the looks of the schedule, which was just recently posted, it should be a very interesting adult stem cell meeting. The range of speakers runs from patients to celebrity advocates such as Meredith Vieira to Nobel Laureate Dr. John Gurdon to stellar cancer researcher, Ron …
Sometimes a stem cell cartoon has more impact than words. With growing pressure, including political pressure on the FDA, to deregulate the point-of-care, for-profit stem cell clinic industry, one can only imagine a future in which deregulation has taken its natural course…..that’s what I’ve done in the political cartoon above. A “double shot” takes on …
Last night President Obama decisively won re-election over GOP candidate Mitt Romney. Democrats also won quite a number of Senate seats that only a few months ago seemed destined to go to the GOP. Why was it such a bad night for the GOP? I believe the reasons they lost give insight into a new …
Why Romney lost: lessons for needed GOP course correction Read More »
Think you know Mitt Romney? I don’t feel like I do. I hope those sandwiches he’s handing out are PB&J….. Here are the 10 most surprising things about Romney that you might not know. 10. He’s fluent in French. Nothing wrong with that, but his very anti-European rhetoric doesn’t seem to fit with this. See …