Wall
Street Journal: The article "Scientists quit Texas cancer
institute in flap" reports the resignations of 33 of 140
members of a research-advisory panel for the Cancer Prevention
and Research Institute of Texas. At issue was the balance
between pure research and commercialization projects. The
institute has provided $755 million in cancer funding over the
last three years. An oversight committee includes politically
appointed laypeople. "Some of the departing
scientistsâmdash;who include Nobel laureates
Phillip A. Sharp and Alfred Gilman, who had been the
institute's chief scientific
officerâmdash;said in resignation letters and
interviews with the
Wall Street Journal that they were protesting a
willingness" by that committee "to fund commercial projects
aimed at developing new cancer therapies, regardless of whether
the projects had been thoroughly vetted by the scientists."
Members who remained on the science panel reportedly "say that
Texas' unusual commitment to cancer research is too important
to abandon."
