Congressmen Van Hollen, Davis Urge NIH to Suspend Overbroad Ethics Regulations for 90 Days in Order to Consider Recommended Changes

Congressmen Van Hollen, Davis Urge NIH to Suspend Overbroad Ethics Regulations for 90 Days in Order to Consider Recommended Changes

Washington, D.C. - United States Representatives Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Tom Davis (R-VA) sent the following letter to Dr. Elias Zerhouni, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), asking him to adopt a 90-day suspension on the new conflict of interest regulations implemented by the agency earlier this year until agency officials have had an opportunity to fully review the proposals offered by the Assembly of Scientists and other comments submitted in response to these regulations. Van Hollen and Davis support parts of the new regulations, but are concerned that some portions will inhibit NIH's ability to attract and retain quality research professionals, thus jeopardizing the health and safety of the American public. The following is the text of the letter.


April 14, 2005

Dr. Elias Zerhouni, Director
National Institutes of Health
1 Center Drive
Room 126, MSC0148
Bethesda, MD 20892-0148

Dear Dr. Zerhouni:

We are writing to urge you to temporarily suspend implementation of the new conflict of interest regulations promulgated by NIH, pending further review. We believe that the proposed regulations are overbroad and, unless refined, could dangerously undermine the mission of NIH. We appreciate your response in extending the filing disclosure period and agreeing to exempt certain short-term employees. However, we believe that this response is inadequate and still leaves many critical questions unanswered.

Our concern centers around the likelihood that the regulations in their current form will seriously erode the ability to recruit and retain scientists and medical professionals at America's premier institutions for biomedical research. The long term impact of the new regulations on America's health and safety could be profound. Some top scientists at NIH have already stated that they will leave their positions at NIH rather than accept the terms of the new regulations.

There is no question that NIH scientists should adhere to the highest standard of professional ethics and that the American public must be assured that their health and safety rise above conflicts of interest. We also agree that there was a need to tighten the provisions of the conflict of interest rules. However, it appears likely that some of the new regulations currently being implemented could inadvertently compromise the health and safety of Americans.

We urge you to immediately suspend the new regulations for 90 days until you have had time to fully assess the impact these regulations will have on NIH and until you review and carefully consider the proposals offered by the Assembly of Scientists and other comments submitted in response to these regulations.

Thank you for your attention to this most important matter.

Sincerely,


______________________________ ____________________________
CHRIS VAN HOLLEN TOM DAVIS

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/md08_vanhollen/nihethicsrelease.html