FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Robin Swanson
Press@YesOn38.com
*Interviews available upon request.
With federal funding cuts putting medical research at universities at risk, California scientists say Proposition 38 will bring us closer to life-saving treatments and cures
SACRAMENTO, CA – With just one week before the November election, California scientists, doctors and research teams urge voters to say YES on Proposition 38, the Immunology Medical Research & Cures Initiative. Immunotherapies are already helping people with cancers like melanoma, lung cancer and leukemia reach long-term remission, and California’s science community sees the potential to prevent and cure many more diseases, from Alzheimer’s and heart disease to Parkinson’s and ALS.
California is a worldwide leader in biomedical research, and the University of California sits at the center of that work. But federal funding cuts and uncertainty have halted at least 160 active clinical trials nationwide, stalling discoveries at the exact moment when medical research has momentum. The fallout from federal actions has also been reported by AP News who covered researchers leaving the United States for other opportunities after anticipated and planned cuts. Prop 38 is designed to pay for itself, creating a self-sustaining funding model for life-saving medical research.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
Arie Belldegrun, M.D., Leader in Life-Saving Cancer Immunotherapies; UCLA Research Professor, Urology: “Scientific breakthroughs don’t happen by chance — they happen when bold investments meet urgent need. By committing to immunology research now, California can turn cutting-edge discoveries into real treatments faster, giving patients new hope and ensuring the state leads in developing the next wave of cures.” READ MORE HERE.
Wayne Koff, Ph.D., Managing Partner of Next Frontier Advisors, and Co- Founder of Alzheimer’s Vaccine Initiative: “Having spent decades at the forefront of disease prevention, I understand the promise of vaccines, therapies and cures that come from immunology research. Supporting Prop 38 is a vital step toward decoding the human immune system and accelerating the breakthroughs needed to end our most devastating diseases.” READ MORE HERE.
Vicky Yamamoto, Ph.D., Founding Member of the World Brain Mapping Foundation: “California has long been a global leader in scientific innovation, and we cannot afford to slow progress. Immunotherapy is opening extraordinary new possibilities not only for cancer, but also for Alzheimer’s disease and neurological disorders, and California will lead the world toward lifesaving breakthroughs.” READ MORE HERE.
Elaine Y. Hsiao, Ph.D., Professor and Leading Immunology and Brain Health Researcher: “The immune system holds one of the most promising pathways to curing diseases that have long evaded treatment. Major initiatives are needed to turn that emerging science into real-world solutions faster, bringing us closer to therapies that save lives.”
Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., Pediatrician and Vaccine Scientist: “As a physician-scientist who has spent my career developing vaccines and advancing global health, I know that immunology research is our most powerful tool for preventing and curing diseases ranging from cancer to Alzheimer’s. Investing in this bond will accelerate lifesaving discoveries, strengthen our preparedness for future health threats and deliver hope to millions of families.”
Linda Liau, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, Professor & Chair of Neurosurgery at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine: “Immunology and immunotherapy research represents one of the most transformative frontiers in modern medicine.”
Rafael Jaime, UAW 4811 President: “Prop 38 is a critical step in supporting California scientists, researchers and lab staff with resources they need to advance life-saving cures – especially as D.C. politics are already cutting and delaying vital funding.”
Lili Yang, Ph.D., Professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics at UCLA: “As a Professor of Immunology at UCLA and leader of the Yang Engineering Immunity Lab, I develop immunotherapies for cancer, autoimmune disorders, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and heart disease. With declining federal research funding, Prop 38 is essential to sustaining innovation and accelerating life-saving treatments for patients across California.”
Julia Falo-Sanjuan, Assistant Project Scientist of Molecular and Cell Biology at UC Berkeley: “Prop 38 is a critical investment in the people who make life-saving and innovative research possible. It means we can keep California at the forefront of medical discoveries, treatments, and cures.”
Jillian McCool, Ph.D. in Quantitative and Systems Biology: “As a researcher whose work has been impacted by funding cuts, I know firsthand that sustained investment in immunology is essential to delivering the next generation of life-saving treatments.”
Hannah Nilsson, Postdoctoral Scholar of Molecular and Cell Biology at UC Berkeley: “Our union sees Prop. 38 as a vital complement to the work we did to pass SB 895 (Wiener), which will appear on the March 2028 ballot. Our measure will help California stand up to the politically motivated attacks on science and fund the basic research that helps find cures for deadly diseases and conditions.”
Andrew White, MD, FAAAAI, a member of the board of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology: “As an allergist/immunologist, I see the impact of immunology every day in the patients and families who depend on better diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care. Stable funding through Prop 38 would help sustain and accelerate this research, supporting discoveries that can improve outcomes for people living with allergies, asthma, immunodeficiencies, and other immune-related conditions for years to come.”
John Anding, Microbiology & Immunology Student at UC Irvine: “I’ve seen firsthand, through my work in immunology research and with patients, how lifesaving discoveries depend on sustained funding. This measure gives California the opportunity to accelerate research that could bring hope – and ultimately cures – to millions of families facing diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and heart disease.”
NOTE: Titles and affiliations are for identification purposes only.
Read more about why people support YES on Prop 38.
MORE ABOUT PROP 38
Prop 38 represents a new approach to medical research funding, creating a collaborative statewide network. Half the funds will support competitive grants at California universities and nonprofit research institutions, while the other half will support a nonprofit immunology institute affiliated with the University of California that can bring together leading scientists, technology, laboratories, patients and clinical trials. The measure also requires collaboration among grantees so that discoveries, expertise, and best practices can be shared across institutions rather than remaining siloed.
Prop 38 is designed to pay for itself. Ten percent of all proceeds from the licensing of immunotherapies must be returned to California to offset the measure’s total costs, including interest. Additionally, any cure or immunotherapy developed will be provided to California patients at a 20 percent discount below the national average. Prop 38 also includes strict accountability requirements, including:
- Two percent cap on state administrative expenses
- Public disclosure of spending
- Independent financial audits
- For-profit corporations are not eligible for grant funding