Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Is UW restricting stem cell research?

A California scientist is complaining that the Wisconsin Alumni Research Association is impeding stem cell research. The UW apparently has a patent on (at least some) embryonic stem cells and the method to grow them. If other researchers want to use the cells or the method, they have to pay.

Jeanne Loring now says that the price is too high and this will impede research. The response of the foundation's executive director is, essentially, "cry me a river."

I don't know who Loring works for, but California is legally obligated to spend three billion dollars on stem cell research over the next ten years, need it or not.

Embryonic stem cell research makes me nervous (more later), but you'd think that the white coats out in California could shake loose a little cash to pay the UW's royalty.

And if they want a better deal, a little taste for Governor Doyle might work wonders.

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