A Call for Tough Public Oversight of California Stem Cell Institute

The Center for Genetics and Society (CGS) tonight called for tough public oversight to ensure that the new institute established by the California Stem Cell Initiative, Proposition 71, serves the public interest rather than that of commercial biotech entrepreneurs.

"We will press the case for public oversight, transparency, and accountability in human genetic research-in California and nationally," said CGS Associate Executive Director Marcy Darnovsky. "The backers of Prop 71 want Californians to hand over the money, and then just trust them to do what's right. The stakes are far too big for that."

CGS and other pro-choice and progressive opponents of Prop 71 have raised a range of concerns about the research that the initiative will fund.

“Many questions remain unanswered - about conflicts of interest among the scientist-entrepreneurs promoting Proposition 71, about the high cost of any treatments that are eventually developed, and about health risks to women from whom eggs for research cloning will be obtained,” said Darnovsky.

CGS supports research on embryonic stem cells, and public funding for it, but argued against Proposition 71.

“Proposition 71 gives the biotechnology industry influence over a huge sum of public funds and restricts public accountability,” said CGS Executive Director Richard Hayes. “This is bad science, bad business, and bad policy. Both patients and taxpayers are ill-served.”

CGS expressed hope that research conducted by the new institute will meet higher standards than those provided for in Proposition 71.

”Although Proposition 71 permits the new stem cell institute to ignore existing rules and regulations, and to bypass oversight by the public or elected officials, its backers have insisted that they will adopt the highest standards,” Darnovsky said. “We call on them to fulfill that pledge in the next 40 days, and to do so in a publicly transparent manner.”

The initiative states that within 40 days of passage, elected California officials and the chancellors of five University of California campuses will appoint members of the committee that will determine the disbursement and use of the public funds allotted by Prop 71.

“We call on state and UC officials to appoint a committee that excludes those having potential conflicts of interest, and that includes civil society leaders, non-interested professionals, and members with a demonstrated history of serving the public interest,” Darnovsky said.

Contact:
Marcy Darnovsky
510-625-0819 x305