Vast majority of California's embryonic stem cell grants go to research linked with directors

In the Sacramento Bee, David Jensen discusses the conflicts of interest that afflict the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). California voters approved creation of the CIRM and tax funding for human embryonic stem cell research after being promised cures and that their afflicted loved ones' lives would be saved.

With its latest round of awards earlier this month, California's stem cell agency has now handed out $1.5 billion to enterprises linked to its directors.

The figure amounts to 92 percent of the $1.7 billion awarded by the agency.....

Mathews described the state's initiative process this way: "Essentially, to win the support of various groups whose money and backing is important to passage of a bond, a sponsor of an initiative bond will set up rules and include money specifically intended for each group. This is a form of pay-to-play. Agree to back the initiative, and you're in."

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