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California Stem Cell Report News, information and commentary on public policy and business issues involving California's new stem cell agency, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, created by Prop. 71. Wednesday, April 19, 2006 Eyewitness Legislative View from Stem Cell Advocate Stem cell advocate Don Reed attended the hearing Tuesday on legislation to tighten up oversight of the California stem cell agency and posted an account of the proceedings. Reed is firm supporter of CIRM, as you will see from his account on his blog. But he is also a competent reporter who provides information that you will not find elsewhere. Following the presentation by Sen. Deborah Ortiz, Reed wrote that: "We now had our two opportunities to respond. A member of the ICOC spoke first. Let's call him Sam. He is a great guy, and on the ICOC board he is an effective speaker because he has essentially no time limits, and can take as long as he wants to gather his thoughts. But this was a different situation, far more structured." On Ortiz' presentation, Reed wrote in part: "Naturally, every point was slanted to her benefit, but if you did not know what was going on, she was absolutely convincing. This is an old pro at the height of her powers, a genuinely great advocate for her cause-I just wish we were on the same side. "She framed the lawsuits issue completely out of whack: as if our side implied she was responsible for the current lawsuits! 'Frankly, I think they would have sued, no matter what,' she said with a smile and a tilt of her head. (This was, of course, not the issue at all; rather the additional lawsuits which her new law would make likely.)" One thing about "Sam," in all fairness, it is tough to compete on unfriendly turf, something some critics of CIRM have learned when they appear before that agency. There is more interesting commentary from Reed. Check it out. posted by California Stem Cell Report at 2:06 PM | 0 comments links to this post ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn