Word: nih
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...There is constant pressure to push for the lowest common denominator--there's only one way these restrictions are going, and that's down," King said. He added the NIH is not accountable to the public, but is an autonomous institution with responsibility for guiding and funding research...
Another controversial NIH proposal is the issue of greater autonomy for local biohazards committees. NIH's new proposals would allow these groups to grant preliminary approval for research, allowing the researcher to begin his experiments, with a review by NIH to follow. Talbot said this provision would eliminate bureaucratic red tape and frustrating delays for scientists. Matthew S. Meselson, Cabot Professor of the Natural Sciences, supported Talbot's contentions earlier this spring when he testified against a state bill that would have imposed more restrictions on research...
...however, believe this provision might entrust too much power to local committees, whose objectivity they question. Zimmerman noted that the local committees, which are vulnerable to pressure from local universities and scientists, approve at least 60 per cent of the projects they review. Dr. Daphne Kmely, an officer at NIH, said stopping research that is already underway is difficult, if not impossible...
...Faculty biohazards committee is comprised of one undergraduate, one graduate student, a postdoctoral fellow, a lab employee, a faculty scientist, and a community member, with Koehler as an ex-officio member. With this varied membership, Koehler says, the committee can be objective in its evaluations and enforcement of NIH regulations. However, skeptics could point to the case last year of Dr. Charles A. Thomas, then a Harvard researcher, who was accused of conducting experiments above the containment level of his lab. The alleged violation was not reported until a local citizen complained to NIH. Harvard subsequently filed a report...
Reports issued by the Med School and NIH released earlier this spring state Thomas essentially followed the NIH guidelines although he did not have NIH approval for the experiments. Thomas is now on leave in California...