Perspective on the NIH Incident

[VERNIG.PETER@FORUM.VA.GOV]

It seems like many of us on this bbs are reacting somewhat irrationally
to this incident.  Arguing about whether someone might have brain 
disease, emotional disturbance, or extreme but understandable anxiety
for her own health and the health of her unborn child doesn't seem
productive.  This is not a mental health bbs is it?
 
I find the allegations that the lady reportedly made, nothing short of
incredible.  But does anyone out there think they can say for sure that
it can't happen here.  Remember the "sensitivity training"/cult indoc-
trination scandle in the Dept. of Transportation that came to light last
year.  I too have speculated on what might have happened due to the
rather incredible circumstances.  But we are all basing these specu-
lations on mostly media reports and perhaps a few statements like the
one NIH released and which was posted here.  We all should be abundantly
aware of how poorly things usually get reported.  The few things I've
been directly involved in that have been reported in the press usually
were all but unrecognizable when the report was read in the paper.
 
My suggestion would be to post any more published material or sumaries
and sumaries of anything broadcast that one of us may see and keep
the speculation off of radsafe.  
 
Peter G. Vernig, VA Medical Center, vernig.peter@forum.va.gov
The opinions experssed above are solely my own and do not reflect
opinion or policy of this medical center, the dept. of Veterans
Affairs, or the U.S. Government.