Stem cell Oversight Committee member David Serrano Sewell has taken umbrage with language concerning him in our report on last Friday's meeting.
Here is what he had to say:
"As an ICOC member, I do enjoy this blog. However, on occasion you get things wrong. Recently the report stated:
"'David Serrano Sewell, a patient advocate committee member from the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association, abruptly cut off attorney Charles Halpern of Berkeley, Ca., when he raised questions about the criteria for the training grants. Sewell heatedly declared that CIRM had been 'transparent in every respect.'
"First, I represent both the MS and ALS community. At our recent 9/9/05 meeting, Mr. Halpern did raise a series of issues regarding the ICOC training grants. ICOC staff forwarded his letter via email and a hard copy was provided for all the ICOC members at the meeting. At the meeting, Mr. Halpern's opportunity to speak well exceeded his three minutes. Charlie was getting close to seven minutes, and that's when I reminded (stem cell chairman) Bob (Klein) that members of the public are given three minutes to speak. So, yes I did 'cut off' Charlie, not because of the subject matter, but because the ICOC had other issues to address."
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