Contributor

Don C. Reed

Sponsor, California’s Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act of 1999

Don C. Reed sponsored California’s Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act of 1999, named after his paralyzed son. “Roman’s law” has provided $14 million in state funding, work which attracted an additional $59.2 million in matching grants. It was the source of initial funding for Dr. Hans Keirstead’s groundbreaking paralysis work, soon to become the world’s first embryonic stem cell research human trials, through Geron, Inc. Reed organized grassroots support for America’s first stem cell “permission” legislation, establishing the official legality of embryonic and Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) research in California through SB 253 (Ortiz) and other laws. He served on the executive board for Proposition 71, the initiative which became California’s $3 billion stem cell research program. He has worked with numerous state and national efforts to fund research and advance scientific freedom. Reed is currently Vice President for Public Policy for the Americans for Cures Foundation.

*Opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and do not necessarily reflect those of Americans for Cures Foundation.