In what might be called the kickoff to the campaign, the agency this afternoon issued a press release hailing the plan as making “dramatic changes.”

The agency could have a tough audience.
The newspapers editorializing on the subject were unanimously in
favor of the IOM recommendations. One said the agency needs to clean
up its act. They warned of a loss of public trust along with losing the
possibility of continued financial support. (For a sample, see here
and here.)

CIRM Chairman J.T. Thomas said during
today's meeting that a public relations foray was in the works
following board action on his proposals yesterday. He said,

His comments came after CIRM Director
Jeff Sheehy, a UCSF communications manager, urged engaging the
editorial boards.

Thomas' plan meets only a portion of
the IOM recommendations and sidestepped a call for
creating a new majority on the board of independent members. The IOM
said “far too many” board members – at least 13 – are tied to
institutions that receive money from CIRM. Thomas' plan would have
the 13 voluntarily restrain from voting on any grants for any
institution.

A compilation by the California Stem
Cell Report shows that roughly 90 percent of the $1.7 billion awarded
by directors has gone to institutions with links to the directors.