Autoimmune Disease Advocates Urge YES on Proposition 38 to Accelerate Breakthrough Treatments and Cures

National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Lupus LA and over 60 organizations back ballot measure to stop debilitating diseases before they cause irreversible damage

SACRAMENTO, CA, UNITED STATES, September 8, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — For millions of people living with multiple sclerosis, lupus and other autoimmune diseases, the search for new treatments is not an abstract scientific pursuit. It is a race to preserve the ability to walk, work, think clearly, care for their families and live independently.

That is why leading autoimmune disease advocates and immunology experts are supporting YES on Proposition 38, the Immunology Medical Research & Cures Initiative, which will provide $8.4 billion in vital funding for breakthrough research to develop new treatments, prevent disease and find cures.

Supporters include the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Lupus LA, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and American Association of Immunologists, who are part of a broad and growing coalition of more than 60 patient advocacy, medical and research organizations backing the measure.

“Lupus can strike people in the prime of their lives and turn the most ordinary parts of a day into a struggle,” said Susan Bazarsky, Executive Director of Lupus LA. “Imagine being too exhausted to get out of bed, living with debilitating pain, or wondering whether this disease will damage your kidneys, heart or brain. Damage can last a lifetime, and patients deserve science that’s focused on finding a cure. That’s why we support Proposition 38.”

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy cells, tissues or organs. These diseases can affect virtually every part of the body, including the brain, spinal cord, joints, skin, kidneys, lungs and other vital organs.

The timing is urgent. Uncertainty in federal research funding is slowing clinical trials and delaying discoveries at the exact moment immunology science has momentum. At least 160 active clinical trials nationwide were affected by the termination of National Institutes of Health grants in 2025. In California, universities began curtailing biomedical research and delaying hiring as federal grants were terminated or withheld.

For patients, the consequences can be devastating. For example, multiple sclerosis attacks the central nervous system and can impair walking, vision, cognition and other essential functions. Lupus can cause debilitating pain and fatigue and damage major organs, including the kidneys, heart, lungs and brain. Autoimmune damage cannot always be reversed. Early treatment is essential to prevent permanent loss of function, mobility or organ damage.

“Living with multiple sclerosis has shown me firsthand that immunology research changes lives,” said Isra Ahmad, multiple sclerosis advocate and immunotherapy patient. “As an immunotherapy patient, I’ve experienced how scientific advances can transform care, and every breakthrough offers new hope for people living with autoimmune diseases and other serious illnesses.”

Prop 38 represents a new approach to medical research funding, creating a collaborative statewide network that combines competitive research grants with a world-class immunology institute designed to help turn discoveries into life-saving treatments and cures. Half of the funding 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 would provide stable, long-term funding to advance immunology research, building on a rapidly expanding understanding of the immune system’s role in preventing, causing and treating serious disease.

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. 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

Learn more at YESon38.com, including a full coalition list and what supporters are saying.

Robin Swanson
Swanson Communications
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Written By: EIN Presswire