CIRM Creates FDA Committee

Gern Talk, a web site devoted to discussions of matters related to Geron, has picked up a recent piece by patient advocate Don Reed along with our report, "Harsher Realities," on the FDA hold on Geron's clinical trials.

Reed raised his previous concerns regarding the most recent FDA action. But he also had a note about a discussion involving the FDA hearings last month dealing with clinical trials and stem cells.

That discussion occurred at the meeting of the board of directors of the California stem cell agency. Reed said that Robert Klein, chairman of the California stem cell agency "expressed concern" about

"...a possibility that the FDA might put in a condition that embryonic stem cell trials might only be allowed for dying patients. This would be a disaster, meaning that human trials for embryonic stem cells to heal blindness as well as paralysis and other non-life-threatening conditions could not go forward. He asked for volunteers on the board to be on a special FDA committee. Board members Jeff Sheehy and Leeza Gibbons very kindly volunteered for the chore!

"But the overall response from almost everyone (and these are supporters of the research, good people, whose opinions I respect) was that the situation would be handled on the basis of scientific merit, and the safety of the patients, nothing more. Again and again people said, no, no, everything is fine, don’t worry."

Jesse Reynolds of the Center for Genetics and Society also had something to say on the Biopolitical Times on Geron:

"Those of us who support embryonic stem cell research should urge caution, not haste. A botched clinical trial will set the field back years, if not decades."