California women back Prop 38 to speed disease research

Women’s health advocates, nurses and caregivers are backing Proposition 38, a California ballot measure they say would accelerate immunology research for diseases that disproportionately affect women. The proposal would direct $8.4 billion toward research, trials and a new statewide institute, with supporters arguing it could speed treatments for Alzheimer’s, autoimmune disease, cancer and more.

Why it matters: - Supporters say Proposition 38 would speed research on diseases that hit women hardest, including Alzheimer’s, autoimmune disorders, heart disease and certain cancers. - The measure is designed to move promising immunology work from the lab into treatments and cures faster. - Women already carry a large share of the disease burden, including in conditions where better treatments could change caregiving, survival and long-term quality of life.

What happened: - Women’s health advocates, nurses and caregivers across California are supporting Proposition 38, the Immunology Medical Research & Cures Initiative. - The ballot measure was promoted in a statewide push on Oct. 7, 2026. - Alicia Truelove, an American Nurses Association\California board member and immunotherapy patient, backed the measure and said it could help accelerate treatments for Alzheimer’s, autoimmune conditions and certain cancers. - Viva Mogi, an Alzheimer’s caregiver and volunteer with Alzheimer’s Los Angeles, said the measure offers hope for families caring for loved ones with the disease. - Kara Barton, a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in neurological conditions, said most of the new multiple sclerosis patients she sees are women and need more than symptom management.

The details: - Prop 38 would provide $8.4 billion for immunology research aimed at preventing and treating cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease and other persistent diseases. - The initiative focuses on immunotherapies, which use the body’s immune system to prevent and treat disease. - Immunotherapies are already being used to treat melanoma, lung cancer, leukemia and lymphoma. - Backers say the funding would also support research into Parkinson’s, diabetes, ALS, muscular dystrophy, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis. - The proposal would split funding evenly between competitive grants for California universities and nonprofit research institutions and a nonprofit immunology institute affiliated with the University of California. - The institute is intended to connect scientists, technology, laboratories, patients and clinical trials. - Supporters say heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, with about 63,000 women in California dying from it each year. - Supporters say cancer is the second leading cause of death for women, and more than 45,000 women in California will be diagnosed this year with cancers that uniquely affect them, including breast, uterine, ovarian and cervical cancers. - Supporters say two-thirds of people living with Alzheimer’s are women. - Supporters say four out of five people diagnosed with autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis are women, and women with those conditions are 50% more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than men with the same conditions. - Supporters say reproductive conditions such as endometriosis affect more than 11% of American women, and up to 5% experience recurrent miscarriages. - The measure says 10% of proceeds from the licensing of immunotherapies must be returned to California to offset total costs, including interest. - The proposal says any cure or immunotherapy developed would be provided to California patients at a 20% discount below the national average. - The measure also sets a 2% cap on state administrative expenses, requires public disclosure of spending and independent financial audits, and bars for-profit corporations from grant funding. - More information is available at YESon38.com, including a coalition list and supporter statements. - The campaign also lists social channels on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X and Substack.

Between the lines: - The campaign is framing Prop 38 as both a health policy and cost-control measure, not just a research grant program. - By tying repayment and patient pricing rules to future licensing revenue, supporters are pitching a self-funding model that aims to blunt concerns about public expense. - The focus on women’s diseases is strategic: it links the measure’s scientific pitch to a broad voter constituency and to caregiving burdens that often fall on women.

What’s next: - Supporters are urging voters to back the measure as part of the California ballot process. - If approved, the state would begin building the grant program and the affiliated immunology institute. - The measure’s long-term success would depend on whether the research network can translate funding into treatments, cures and licensing revenue.

The bottom line: - Prop 38 is being sold as a large-scale bet that California can accelerate cures for diseases that disproportionately affect women while recouping costs through future immunotherapy revenue.