Will California Continue Stem Cell Research

Proposition 14 is on the November ballot in California, asking voters to approve the issuance of $5.5 billion in bonds over a ten-year period for stem cell research. The payments from the General Fund will be $310 million annually for a period of up to 25 years, with the final cost, including interest, being $7.8 billion.

The proposition seeks to continue funding for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, whose original pot of money from a 2004 vote has run out. The funds would be used to develop treatments and hopefully achieve cures for chronic diseases and conditions, including cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, heart disease, lower respiratory diseases, spinal cord injuries, blindness, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, kidney disease, infectious diseases like COVID-19, and many others.

While there is no identified opposition yet, critics point to the mixed results of the initial $3 billion funding from 2004. Some argue that the initial promises of the research were oversold, and the potential short-term benefits were not realized as hoped. However, proponents of Proposition 14 emphasize the accomplishments so far, such as improvements in patients’ lives, FDA-approved treatments for fatal blood cancers, and curing babies born without functioning immune systems.

It is crucial for voters to consider the potential long-term benefits of stem cell research, as well as the challenges in translating fundamental science into real-world results. Approving Proposition 14 could provide continued funding for research that may eventually lead to significant advances in medical treatments and cures.

Here is the list of local entities in San Diego County that have received funding for research through this effort: