Stem Cell Funds a Polarizing Issue

Re: “Potential of Stem Cells Relentlessly Oversold,” Golden State, Oct. 28:

I support Proposition 71, but have always had reservations about its fiscal responsibility. I now strongly believe it will have major positive effect if approved and that it would not be a disaster fiscally.

Columnist Michael Hiltzik proposes that these funds would be better disbursed to the University of California system as a whole because of their recent cutbacks.

I disagree for a couple reasons.

No. 1, the quality of research: A bill like this makes California the mecca of stem cell research. This is big science, and big science can produce some amazing results. Your proposal spreads out money to a variety of institutions and would fund many researchers working independently, at least for the most part. Although this is purely speculation in the end, it is much more likely that a concentrated effort will produce results than by disbursing money to many pet projects.

No. 2, your proposal would have substantially less economic benefit to the state. Funding researchers at various universities would produce many new patents and maybe some spinoffs, but UCLA last year received only $14 million in revenue from the licensing of its intellectual property, and spinoffs take years to develop while not producing much tax revenue.

It seems only a concentrated influx of funds in an area of research that has near-term therapeutic potential would produce a massive influx of companies (which is already happening) that aim to capitalize on the research and in the process create jobs, exciting new therapies and serious tax revenue.

Bobby Brooke

Analyst, Bristol Capital Advisors

Westwood

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As a pro-choice progressive/Democrat I’ve been proud to campaign against this swindle. What shocks me most is the silence of countless scientists who know how dubious a proposition it is to link preliminary basic science with airy claims of panacea.

I guess $3 billion is enough to finance everybody’s wish list and buy the silence of the skeptics.

Dr. H. Rex Greene

Medical Director

Dorothy E. Schneider Cancer Center

San Mateo