Miscounduct and Grantsmanship

[U27111 at uicvm.uic.edu]

>So, we should not be too harsh on Drs. Bendarik and
>Matsuguchi - who are the first to cast stone ?

Well, in the case of Dr. Bendarik (who was at the CDC at the time
of this misconduct)... why don't you go into the aids newsgroup and
ask all the people in there who have been given a death sentence of
being HIV+? ... or those already in full blown AIDS and presently
dying?  See in there who is willing to be the first one to cast a
stone?  As a matter of fact... I think I may just cross- post your
original posting on this and see what *real* people have to say?

Personally, I think it's terrible for scientists in such positions
to abuse their responsibility in such a manner (putting themselves
first, above those there are supposedly helping).

I understand your argument... but when one does finally get caught
- examples should be (need to be) made.

I agree the ORI is nothing more than spitting to put out a fire...
and there are a lot more worst ones out there... but even more to
stop accepting what is unacceptable behavior.

I really think we needed to clean house... and a Congressional
Hearing on Gallo would've have just been the ticket needed.  For
instead of having the Gallo's pay for there actions, we are
rewarding them for getting away with it.  And thus setting an
example for others to follow in their footsteps [just like one of
the nobel laureates you may have been referring to who was targeted
in a recent Science article for hoarding data; so he could get a
patent first!]

But Barton (R-Texas), the guy who took over Dingel's chair on the
House subcommittee which oversees the NIH, he decided to drop the
Gallo investigation... and apparently, nobody in the scientific
community cares.

Nor did they really care about Bendarik and Matsuguchi until the
ORI specifically targeted them and told us not to like these guys?
Thus, in that sense, I agree with your comments.

But as the [Gallo] staff draft report stated, well before the
Barton decision,... "that while the HHS did it's best to cover up
the wrong-doings, the failure of the entire scientific
establishment to take any meaningful action left the disposition of
scientific truth to bureaucrats and lawyers, with neither the
expertise nor the will essential to the task." ["In Gallo case,
truth termed a casualty - Report: Science subverted in AIDS
dispute" by John Crewdson.  Chicago Tribune, January 1, 1995.]

...and the scientific community stills fails to take any meaningful
actions!  ...in the Gallo case, in the 40-50% cases which are never
uncovered, etc. etc.

So if a few small fish do get fried now and then... why can't some
of us gloat and hope for a change?

-Kathy