Executive Order

              2005-6
Executive Order Creating the Illinois Regenerative Institute for Stem Cell Research
WHEREAS, millions of Illinoisans and their families suffer through debilitating diseases and injuries, and
these conditions place enormous emotional and financial stress on the people afflicted and all those who
care for them; and
WHEREAS, in August 2001, the President announced a policy limiting federal funding for research on
embryonic stem cell lines; and
WHEREAS, several states have taken their own independent action in pursuit of developing better
treatments and finding cures by implementing or proposing public funding initiatives for the development
of embryonic stem cell research in their states; and
WHEREAS, the State of Illinois should maximize the use of state research funds by giving priority to
stem cell research that has the greatest potential for therapies and cures that cannot or are unlikely to
receive sufficient federal funding; and
WHEREAS, medical research advances that lead to better treatments of diseases and ultimately cures will
help reduce long-term health care costs on Illinois taxpayers; and
THERFORE, I HEREBY ORDER THE FOLLOWING:
Illinois Department of Public Health (Grant program/ Rulemaking)
The Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health shall develop an Illinois Regenerative Medicine
Institute (IRMI) program within the department that will provide for the awarding of grants to medical
research facilities for the development of finding treatments and cures from stem cell research.
The Department of Public Health shall adopt rules for the issuance and administration of grants
authorized by this Executive Order. All eligible grant recipients shall comply with all terms and
conditions of the Department prior to acceptance of such awards.
Stem Cell Research Policy & IRMI Functions
All rules adopted by the Department shall be consistent with the policies and functions of the Illinois
Regenerative Medicine Institute (IRMI) program as set forth below:
1) The Department of Public Health shall establish the IRMI program to make grants and loans for stem
cell research to study therapies, protocols, medical procedures, possible cures for, and potential
mitigations of, major diseases, injuries, and orphan diseases; to support all stages of the process of
developing cures, from laboratory research through successful clinical trials; to establish the appropriate
regulatory standards and oversight bodies for research and facilities development.
2) The IRMI program shall provide funding for stem cell research that involves adult stem cells, cord
blood stem cells, pluripotent stem cells, totipotent stem cells, progenitor cells, the product of somatic cell
nuclear transfer or any combination of those cells.
3) No funds authorized or made available under the IRMI program shall be used for research involving
the reproductive cloning of a human being, fetuses from induced abortions or to create embryos through
the combination of gametes solely for the purpose of research. As used in this Executive Order, "cloning