[Letter to John D. Dingell from Bernadine P. Healy]

Page 4 - The Honorable John D. Dingell

Your letter also criticizes NIH for failing to disclose OPRR's
activities to the Subcommittee in the course of interviews
dealing with the investigation of Dr. Prem Sarin. Dr. Sarin is
not a subject of the OPRR investigation. It would have been
highly inappropriate for any NIH official to introduce, as a
topic for public discussion, any ongoing OPRR investigation
before that investigation had been brought to completion with a
body of factual information to inform the discussion.
Be assured that NIH takes seriously its obligation to protect
human research subjects and that, once the investigation has been
completed, OPRR's findings will be made public, along with
sufficient documentation to allow thorough public scrutiny of
this important matter. In addition, NIH pledges swift and
decisive action on any recommendations for remedial or punitive
actions.
Sincerely yours,
1Sf BERNADINE P. HEALY, M.D.
Bernadine Healy, M.D.
Director