MEDIA ADVISORY PUBLIC WORKSHOP ON DRAFT CIRM GUIDELINES FOR STEM CELL RESEARCH IN SACRAMENTO

EMERYVILLE, CA – Next Tuesday (9/20/05), the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) will host the second of three public workshops to receive oral and written public comment on the current draft CIRM Interim Guidelines.

WHO: Staff of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and concerned members of the public

WHAT: These public workshops are specifically intended to seek the public’s opinion on the medical, ethical, and scientific issues governing stem cell research funded by the CIRM. These sessions invite public comment beyond what is required by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), the regulation-making process for California. These voluntary and informal discussions mark a concerted effort to solicit the public’s advice on the agency’s ethical guidelines before the APA process officially begins.

WHEN: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2005
              6:15 PM – 8:00 PM (Estimated)

WHERE: Sacramento Convention Center
               1400 J Street, Room 103
               Sacramento, CA 95814

WHY: The CIRM draft guidelines are based on the Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research, published by the National Academies of Science in May 2005. They have been adapted into regulatory form to comply with the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Act and proposed as the interim guidelines by the Standards Working Group on August 30, 2005. Over the next several months, the Standards Working Group will consider public comment in their deliberations. The ICOC will then vote on permanent standards, which will then undergo the APA regulatory-making process.

The public sessions are the first step in this process of discussion and evaluation, during which time the CIRM will accept the public’s written and oral comment on the guidelines. The public may also submit written comment by email to guidelines@cirm.ca.gov.