Dear PWPs:  Could you possibly email Casey and Sununu again?  I did,
facilitated by Don's providing the contact info below:
Ray

# 314 Thursday, April 5, 2007 - ARGUING WITH SENATORS

Like arm-wrestling with a grizzly bear, arguing with Senators is not an
activity lightly to be undertaken.

Every word must be weighed, every attitude and inflection considered-not
only from sheer politeness, but because win or lose, they are probably not
going away-and we may have to work with them again.

Three Senators will have a special effect on stem cell research in the next
few days. Two are national: U.S. Senators Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, and
John Sununu of New Hampshire. The vote of at least one of these two is
needed to get that all-important 67th vote in favor of the Stem Cell
Research Enhancement Act, which will be voted on as soon as the Senate
Recess is over.  If you have not reached out to these folks before, it would
be great to do so now.

Bob Casey: Pennsylvania  Phone: (202) 224-6324. FAX: (202) 228-0604
Address: B-40 Dirksen Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
http://casey.senate.gov/contact.cfmhttp://casey.senate.gov/contact.cfm

John Sununu: New Hampshire  Phone: (202) 224-2841 FAX: (202) 228-4131
Address: 111 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
http://www.sununu.senate.gov/webform.html


The third Senator is from California. Her issue is a state one, but it
affects the largest single source of research funds in the world.

In one of her previous careers, Sheila Kuehl was a TV star, best known for
her performance as Zelda on the classic show, "Many Loves of Dobie Gillis".
Senator Kuehl is tough, intelligent, determined, and a natural ally on
health issues. She developed a universal health care plan which almost
became law in the Golden State, passing both houses of the California
legislature before being vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger.

We have stood before Senator Kuehl  before, advocating for funding for the
Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act. Ms. Kuehl has always been a
member of the Health Committee she now chairs, and in the past she has
always supported our small bill.

We will be facing her Health committee at least twice in the coming weeks:
once as an objector, and once as a supplicant. The pleading will come later,
when we try to get an extra million dollars for spinal cord injury research,
an add-on to the Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act.

So while we want to argue effectively against her bill, we also do not want
to make her mad, because we will need her help later on.

An interesting problem.

"Please do not pass your own bill, Senator Kuehl, and let us explain to you
why it would be very bad for California-but  on the other hand,  please do
support our bill, even though we am going against you on the bill you want"?
This is not exactly a recipe for success.

A disguise, perhaps.

Maybe we should grow a moustache, hope she does not remember me. No, wait, I
already have a moustache and the ladies -- dark glasses and a rubber nose?

The reality, of course, is that we must just do the best that we can, and
hope for the best.

What was it Gandhi said? Something about, we cannot control the consequences
of our actions, just the actions themselves?

If I had a choice about arguing with Senator Kuehl, a way to avoid conflict,
I would jump at it.  I really do want the Roman Reed Act to get an
additional million. The research we have sponsored has been overwhelmingly
successful, and there is so much more to do.

But if it comes to a choice, it is far more important that California's stem
cell program be able to function without more heavy binding chains of
restrictions piled on.

Senator Kuehl's bill, SB 771, would impose price controls and revenue
sharing requirements on any stem cell products arising from the stem cell
research program.

What would this mean?

Imagine if you were a scientist, who developed a stem cell cure for
something-at least, the lab results look very promising. So are you home
free now?  No, now comes the hard part. You must convince a company to
invest approximately one billion dollars to take your idea through clinical
trials. (That is the approximate expense of taking just one medicine to
market.)

Not many companies have that kind of money-- a thousand million dollars-- to
invest.

And remember, even if they do develop your product, any earnings will be
subject to normal taxation, plus whatever fees, permits, and licenses
already apply.

Senator Kuehl's bill amounts to a new and hidden tax on stem cell research
products.

It says that any stem cell product ever funded by CIRM in any amount, large
or small, must be partially owned by California-in addition to whatever
other fees, permits, taxes and licenses apply.

Is a company likely to gamble that billion dollars, if they cannot at least
own the product?

Many companies operate at a three to five per cent profit margin-if the
state owns an five per cent, what does that do to the profit?

Remember, you are the scientist trying to get a company to develop your
product, so you can see it actually helping people-but can it ever be of any
use whatsoever, if it does not make it to the market?

Would it not be better for a state to take revenues from normal taxation,
rather than this pre-emptive part ownership?

And, unfortunately, there's more.

The product must be available to low-income folks-not at California's lowest
price, which is already agreed on, part of the CIRM requirements-but at the
nation's lowest possible price.

Now this is heavy-duty.

Most people would agree that the health care program we have right now is
not satisfactory.

Medicine and treatment must be available to all.

But first the medicine and treatments must exist, before we can make them
affordable.

If we take away the lure of a decent profit, how will we attract the giant
corporations, who are the only financial engines capable of bringing
intellectual ideas into practical medicine and therapy?

What is the good of research, if it cannot be translated into cures?

Proposition 71, the California Stem Cells for Research and Cures Act, was
never intended to be a cash cow for the state; it is not a revenue
enhancement bill, although financial advantages will spring from it. Our
state will absolutely benefit: jobs, taxation, lowered health care costs
and, there is a revenue sharing program in place-but money is not why
Californians voted Prop. 71 into law.

Our purpose is summed up by the CIRM motto: "Turning Stem Cells Into Cures".

Anything which interferes with that process, slows down relief from
suffering.

We have already had too many delays, too much interference. It is time to
let the will of the people prevail.

Profits should be taxed-not our hopes for cures.


P.S. Pride compels me to mention that it was my son, Roman Reed, who came up
with the CIRM motto, which was officially accepted by the Independent
Citizens Oversight Committee.
By Don Reed
www.stemcellbattles.com

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