[Memorandum to Acting Deputy Director for Intramural Research, NIH from F. William Dommel, Jr.]

I1I

Ifl~tiLtCt of Health Sciences of Zuirec.
Declarations of' informed consent were signed by adult volunteers and,
for minors, signcd parcntal conscnt wa:% obtaitied in uonformity with
Zairian and French ethical rules.
The medical dcontological regullationS of Zaire have always been
respected:- only Zairians (doctors or nurses) or cntitlcd French medical
co xworkers (Con. Salaun) took blood-samples or carried out infusions. The
French scientists5 never CUlleC~d sampleS Or perrorrned other medical acts,
thus respecting Zairian lawx.
~cntrary: to Cre-w dson's written allegationr. prisoncrs were never used f
trials1,inQ his is prohibitedb Fech.uing, even though it wlvas
authorisqed Ufltil lecetLld\ in the US%%A.
No material indemnity (mioney')wa. ev:er given to a volunteer for his or
her participation in a trial, even if this is rcquired in the USA, since At iS
forbiddcn in France, where the -voluntai-y CL must Lbe free.
In no cawse wvas paymnt ml nade inl exchange lor the collection of
blood samples. e vcn 11 this is cu-.etoinary in blood bankc: in the US-A,. ince
the Practice is Prohibited in France.
We have always respected the stncLiLv of our paticnts' anonymity 2is
well as tlait of hciillhy Volunteers who took part in our trials.
W-e have always considered ourselv-e as scientific collaborators guests~q
of another country. Zairc, whozic lawsq, we have allways obse rved,.
Wc have always reused to arrange V~L by roreigners. whether French
or.Aaieri:UI1, LO the hospitals or institutes where lxpcourselves -were