Thomas R. Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, responded on Wednesday to questions raised by a U.S. senator about his involvement with Charles B. Nemeroff, a researcher who was found to have promoted drugs and products made by companies that paid him money he didn't report to his university.
In a letter to Sen. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, Dr. Insel drew attention to the National Institutes of Health's proposed new ethics rules regarding potential conflicts of interest and stated that he believed such reforms are necessary.
He acknowledged that Dr. Nemeroff's failure "to disclose large sums of income from industry was an egregious violation of NIH policy" and said that he "did not condone the gap in our policy" that allowed Dr. Nemeroff to avoid NIH penalties by changing employers.
Dr. Insel had played a role in that transition, assuring the medical dean at Dr. Nemeroff's new employer, the University of Miami, that the researcher remained in fine standing with the NIH.
In his letter to Senator Grassley, Dr. Insel said he now recognized that his "willingness to speak with a University of Miami official about Dr. Nemeroff's eligibility for continued research funding from the NIH may have created the appearance of favoritism." He assured the senator of his own "aggressive stance on conflict-of-interest matters involving academic scientists applying for NIMH grants," and concluded that he would be "even more vigilant in carrying out my official duties going forward."
Comments
1. busyslinky - July 08, 2010 at 10:38 am
No, I won't do it again (wink, wink, nudge, nudge).
What a joke. He'll have his cake and eat it too, and eat yours and that other person's and so on. As long as it's between friend's it's okay.
I will be even more vigilant. Next time I won't get caught.
2. davi2665 - July 08, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Right on target! Insel is indeed sorry- sorry that he got caught endorsing Nemeroff to U of Miami in the face of egregious violations. I guess that lying to NIH and lying to one's university president does not rise to a level of concern that perhaps Nemeroff might not be the ideal candidate for a Chair at Miami. Insel has managed to show the opposite behavior of a major component of integrity (doing what is right even when no one is watching or is likely to find out)- he managed to do what is wrong, assuming that no one was watching or was likely to find out. How totally pathetic. I am sure that all of us are deeply moved, especially Senator Grassley, by Insel's heartfelt contrition and his renewed commitment to being "even more vigilant." NIH should set the example with Insel, following that time honored surgical tradition- "A chance to cut is a chance to cure."