Saturday, October 26, 2013

A NEW PLAYER IN TOWN: THE MEDICAL CENTER OF THE AMERICAS.

We are pleased that El Paso can now claim a chance to shine in the area of Biomedical research with the Medical Center of the Americas (MCA).  We don't need to deal only with the stress of ignorance by CPRIT and the lack of interest by the Texan central government.   By the same token, the new shining star (Medical Center of the Americas, with 60 Millions dollars in its war chest ( less than 3 billions being squandered by CPRIT) is in danger of experiencing the same fate as CPRIT- a global takeover by local Universities!
In this town, the drama will unfold just the same unless the leadership shin up and brace from the onslaught which will come from Lubbock the small town that engineered years ago El Paso takeover through Texas Tech University!  Already we are seeing the take over unfold by the prominence of Texas Tech into the activities of the CMAs.    It is surprising that to this day the University of of Texas in El Paso (UTEP) the true local El Paso school has not rise up, as if accepting this dedicated secondary role, as if already prepared to let the takeover unfold!  There is no representative for the private corporations on the MCAs' Board as far as I can tell.  And very soon by the 3rd year of life of the MCAs, the CPRIT story will be lived at El Paso scale!  Unless of course the leardership wakes up early and strategizes a response for prevention!  I met the President of the fundation Ms. Shwartz, she was first to mention the CPRIT story but I am not sure she did realize where the threat to CPRIT came from, Universities' takeover!   Universities in Texas have shown to have the brightest minds but also by being the most expensive and wasteful organizations. Record suggest that only 15-20 percent of money given to them goes to actual research.  The only thing that can change this, the MCA dictates during contract negotiations and follow-ups...
Believe me, when you are the donor, you can stand your ground in defining the rules of engagement.  WILL MCAs STAND ITS GROUND?  WE HAVE YET TO SEE IT!
THE CRBCM CAN HELP, WE WILL CONTINUE THE FIGHT FOR THE CURE UNTIL OUR ENEMIES BECOME IRRELEVANT!

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