Mel Gibson Joins Fight Against Stem Cell Measure
By Paul Elias,
Associated Press
| 10. 31. 2004
The Proposition 71 race has turned into the battle of the Hollywood stars actor after Mel Gibson spoke out against the $3 billion bond measure for stem cell research and offered his help to the opposition campaign.
Gibson appeared on ABC's Good Morning America Thursday and said he had an "ethical problem" with the proposition, which would make about $300 million available annually for 10 years to fund the controversial research. The measure would allow cloning for medical research only. All told, including interest, it will cost $6 billion in taxpayer money over 30 years.
Gibson also has recorded a 60-second message that he gave to the campaign Thursday. A spokesman for the No on 71 campaign said officials are still discussing how to use the message, which they said arrived unexpectedly Thursday. A spokesman said the campaign already has produced two radio advertisements, which are airing throughout the state.
"It's kind of a last-minute thing but we are glad he could join," said No on 71 spokesman Tim Rosales. "He's a great spokesperson."
Gibson is the first Hollywood celebrity...
Related Articles
By Gina Kolata, The New York Times | 06.20.2025
A single infusion of a stem cell-based treatment may have cured 10 out of 12 people with the most severe form of type 1 diabetes. One year later, these 10 patients no longer need insulin. The other two patients need...
By Christina Jewett, The New York Times | 06.05.2025
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently declared that he wanted to expand access to experimental therapies but conceded that they could be risky or fraudulent.
In a podcast with Gary Brecka, who describes himself as a longevity expert...
By Mike Baker, The New York Times | 02.25.2025
As investigators struggled for weeks to find who might have committed the brutal stabbings of four University of Idaho students in the fall of 2022, they were focused on a key piece of evidence: DNA on a knife sheath that...
By David Jensen, Capitol Weekly | 02.19.2025
California scientists took what looked like an $800 million hit last week in their efforts to develop revolutionary treatments and cures for diseases ranging from cancer to diabetes.
It was a jab from the Trump administration, one that generated apocalyptic...