New Jersey ends stem cell dreams
Posted by Jesse Reynolds June 24, 2008
Biopolitical Times
The long-planned Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey died quietly last week - so quietly, in fact, that some of its prominent backers were caught unaware, reports the state's largest paper. The $270 million research center had been on the drawing board for four years, and the state had been vying to be a leader in the field well before that. The end of the Institute not only is the apparent end of New Jersey's endeavor, but may also signal the final decline of embryonic stem cell research as a relevant political issue.
Back in January 2004, New Jersey became the second state to pass a law promoting human embryonic stem cell research, explicitly stating which activities were legal. Another law a few months later created the Institute - still virtual at the time - and set aside millions of dollars for grants and work towards a building. By the end of 2005, New Jersey beat California to become the first state to actually issue embryonic stem cell research grants.
Yet how to scale up the program remained unclear. Acting Governor Richard Codey floated the idea of a $400 or even $500 million bond as early as January 2005, with $200 million to go towards the institute. A public survey confirmed widespread support at the time. There were even talks of enlarging the proposal to create a "biotech corridor" with Delaware and Pennsylvania. But any bond plan would require approval by both the legislature and the voters.
While the bonds stalled, Gov. Jon Corzine, who took office in January 2006, maintained a small grants program through line items in the state budget. Last October, Corzine and other politicians even posed for photos at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new institute, despite the lack of funds. By the time the bond issue got out of the legislature and to the voters as a ballot measure in November, the climate had shifted compared with 2004: California was well in the lead, pumping out tens of millions of dollars in grants, and New York was launching a half-billion dollar program. The exaggerated promises of stem cell-based cures were being modulated, and political effectiveness of embryonic stem cell research was waning. And the state's fiscal situation was worse than ever. The bond measure - by then at $450 million - failed by a wide margin.
After the bonds' failure, the Corzine administration continued to insist the institute would go forward. Now its been revealed that the plans were apparently put on ice months ago. Apparently, no one informed Rep. Frank Pallone, whose district includes the building site, and Sen. Robert Menendez, both of whom had continued to tout the project.
Back in January 2004, New Jersey became the second state to pass a law promoting human embryonic stem cell research, explicitly stating which activities were legal. Another law a few months later created the Institute - still virtual at the time - and set aside millions of dollars for grants and work towards a building. By the end of 2005, New Jersey beat California to become the first state to actually issue embryonic stem cell research grants.
Yet how to scale up the program remained unclear. Acting Governor Richard Codey floated the idea of a $400 or even $500 million bond as early as January 2005, with $200 million to go towards the institute. A public survey confirmed widespread support at the time. There were even talks of enlarging the proposal to create a "biotech corridor" with Delaware and Pennsylvania. But any bond plan would require approval by both the legislature and the voters.
While the bonds stalled, Gov. Jon Corzine, who took office in January 2006, maintained a small grants program through line items in the state budget. Last October, Corzine and other politicians even posed for photos at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new institute, despite the lack of funds. By the time the bond issue got out of the legislature and to the voters as a ballot measure in November, the climate had shifted compared with 2004: California was well in the lead, pumping out tens of millions of dollars in grants, and New York was launching a half-billion dollar program. The exaggerated promises of stem cell-based cures were being modulated, and political effectiveness of embryonic stem cell research was waning. And the state's fiscal situation was worse than ever. The bond measure - by then at $450 million - failed by a wide margin.
After the bonds' failure, the Corzine administration continued to insist the institute would go forward. Now its been revealed that the plans were apparently put on ice months ago. Apparently, no one informed Rep. Frank Pallone, whose district includes the building site, and Sen. Robert Menendez, both of whom had continued to tout the project.