NIH: Scientists Escape Ethics Punishment
Found this nugget tucked away on Foxnews.com.
Most of the federal scientists who improperly accepted personal money from drug or biotechnology companies walked away with reprimands or were allowed to retire unscathed.
NIH workers are goverment workers (I am friends with several) and cannot recieve money from private firms. They also recieve goverment salaries, which I am sure, is no where near the rate-of-pay they would receive in the private sector.
Its a double-edged sword. Without impartial government research, which tends to be more purely scientific in nature (i.e. science for the sake of science) , all of us suffer. Much of the research done at NIH may not have any immediate intrinsic value (e.g. drug sales) but it is still vital and necessary research.
While private research is equally important, private firms are in it for results : results = money (nothing wrong with a bit of capitalism). But the lure of big money from private or commercial firms surely takes its toll on the scientists and their desire to increase their standard of living.
But it still makes me wonder about the impartiality of the science - especially when BIG money is on the line.
Most of the federal scientists who improperly accepted personal money from drug or biotechnology companies walked away with reprimands or were allowed to retire unscathed.
NIH workers are goverment workers (I am friends with several) and cannot recieve money from private firms. They also recieve goverment salaries, which I am sure, is no where near the rate-of-pay they would receive in the private sector.
Its a double-edged sword. Without impartial government research, which tends to be more purely scientific in nature (i.e. science for the sake of science) , all of us suffer. Much of the research done at NIH may not have any immediate intrinsic value (e.g. drug sales) but it is still vital and necessary research.
While private research is equally important, private firms are in it for results : results = money (nothing wrong with a bit of capitalism). But the lure of big money from private or commercial firms surely takes its toll on the scientists and their desire to increase their standard of living.
But it still makes me wonder about the impartiality of the science - especially when BIG money is on the line.
Good luck nugget :P
Posted by
Anonymous |
5:52 PM