Re: bio-med important bill (AB 190) at Sacramento hearing next Tuesday—emails needed!

Dear Biomed Friend:

If you come to the California stem cell program meetings (and you should!) you probably know me, the gray-haired patient advocate, usually sitting in the back of the room taking notes.

My son Roman Reed was paralyzed in a college football accident in 1994, and I have been working for cure research funding ever since. I served on board of directors of the campaign to pass Proposition 71, and have been a part of virtually all stem cell or biomedical support legislations, local, out-of-state or national. I am currently Vice-President for Public Policy for Americans for Cures Foundation.

A law named after my son, the Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act, funded $14.6 million in California research, as well as attracting $63.8 million in add-on grants from the NIH and other sources.

Some of the projects we funded have changed the biomedical field. Geron’s human trials for spinal cord injury began with a Roman Reed grant to Dr. Hans Keirstead, now of California Stem Cells, Inc. A cell-sorting device by Dr. Ed Monuki was developed and made small enough to fit in a Petri dish. 175 peer-edited published papers became pieces of the paralysis puzzle– and laid groundwork for startups.

Last year the funding was removed from the Roman Reed Act—this year we are trying to put it back– with a non-tax funding source.

AB 190 (Wieckowski, D-Fremont) would assess a $3 fine increase to reckless drivers. It is a reasonable way to fund spinal cord injury research, as car crash is a leading cause of the devastating condition.

AB 190 is endorsed by the California Health Institute, the UC system, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and other biomed-friendly organizations.

Would you send a brief e-mail of support on behalf of AB 190? Here are committee members.

Emails should go to:

misa.yokoi-shelton@asm.ca.gov (aide for Committee Chair Tom Ammiano,

Heidi.jensen@asm.ca.gov (aide for Committee Vice Chair Steve Knight

gibran.maciel@asm.ca.gov (aide for Jerry Hill)

luis.d.quinonez@asm.ca.gov (aide for Gilbert Cedillo)

tiffany.jones@asm.ca.gov (aide for Holly Mitchell)

victoria.stewart@asm.ca.gov  (aide for Curt Hagman)

Sandra.trevino@asm.ca.gov (aide for Nancy Skinner)

-and a copy to me and Bob Wieckowski’s aide in charge of the effort Jeff.barbosa@asm.ca.gov.

The Public Safety Committee will hear the bill next Tuesday, April 26th, at 9:30. Join us!

Thank you,

Don C. Reed

Citizen-sponsor, Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act

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