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San Francisco Getting Stem Cell Agency HQ
karvind writes "San Francisco was chosen Friday as the headquarters for California's new stem cell agency, beating out San Diego, Sacramento and Emeryville. The stem cell institute was created in November after voters overwhelmingly approved a measure allowing the state to borrow $3 billion to fund human embryonic stem cell research. According to Yahoo, the plans call for a 17,000-square-foot office with a maximum of 50 employees who will help dole out nearly $300 million in research grants annually over 10 years."
That's right people, there is no federal ban on stem cell research of any kind. No matter what the media tries to tell you.
There's a ban on federal funding for stem cell research. Most funding for scientific research comes from the federal government, so taking away funding for stem cell research is far more significant than you make it out to be. States rarely pass legislation funding specific areas of scientific research like California has now, and I doubt that many states will follow in their footsteps. Future advances in this area will come solely because the residents of the states who fund it chose to do so, and I'm sure people in other states won't have a problem with curing their Parkinson's when a cure comes along. It's easy for people to whine about destroying embryos when there's not a concrete benefit out there that has come from it yet. When it happens, it'll be fairly easy to spot the hypocrites.
California voted for embryonic stem cell research, even though cord blood stem cells, as well as adult stem cells, show more promise. Right now california has a bufget defcit that is out of control, basic infrastructure is growing obselete, and health care and retirement benefits are bankrupting local governments. The UC medical system is turning away emergency room patients, UC Davis can no longer afford to pay for it's life flight helicopters, and a major trauma center in Los Angeles is being closed. Imagine what could have happened if the money for this "Feel Good", initiative had been used for...........HEALTHCARE