AP/Orange County Register Examines Issues Facing Stem Cell Institute
Among the "thorniest" issues regarding the creation of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine and the state's plans to publicly finance stem cell research is "how scientists plan to gather the thousands of [human] eggs they'll need," the AP/Orange County Register reports.
A provision in the Proposition 71 ballot measure, which was approved last fall by voters and created the institute, allows women donating their eggs only to be reimbursed for expenses related to egg donation.
Marcy Darnovsky, associate director of the Center for Genetics and Society, said, "Payment to these women for their eggs, even if it is considered reimbursement, would create an economic inducement for women to put themselves at risk. This would be especially true for poor and young women."
Francine Coeytaux of the Pro-Choice Alliance for Responsible Research said, "This new technology will require eggs from thousands of women. Women will be the first human subjects of Proposition 71."
Another issue is how scientists will obtain the eggs, the AP/Register reports (Elias, AP/Orange County Register, 3/11).
KQED's "This Week in Northern California" on Friday will include a discussion with Rachel Gordon, city hall reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, about competition among California cities to be the home of the state's stem cell research agency (Davis, "This Week in Northern California," KQED, 3/11). Check local listings for show times.
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