Johns Hopkins: Legacy Lost

After a considerable inquiry, the Office of Human Research Protection, the American government agency charged with the overview of all medical research involving human beings, shut down research at Johns Hopkins Medical School (JHMS) and announced that it did so on July 20th. Considering that 301 million tax dollars was given to that institution in the last fiscal year, the action was both shocking and unprecedented. Now, amid the frenetic scramble to respond and rectify the situation, questions arise as to motivation and effect of the action.

[It scares hell out of me.]

JHMS is pointing up that "thousands and thousands of test subjects" have previously "engaged in research projects (at the institution)" with ONLY ONE DEATH. Never mind that the chemical interaction of the drugs involved was clearly warned against on the Internet. Never mind also that the drug was not in common use because better drugs had come along. It was used to suppress a normal breathing function, so that the asthma study could continue on normally healthy subjects. Huh?

But, to read the JHMS Medical Research web site home page , you might assume it is business as usual. NOT! A deal is being cut between the Office of Human Research Protection, the Department of Health and Human Resources, and the University of Maryland/Johns Hopkins Medical School. What that is, and how it will rectify whatever mistake cost a human life, is yet to be revealed, if it ever will be. After all, bureaucratium moves snails-pace, usually following an interim measure to shore up any blockage in the money flow. These are, after all, VERY IMPORTANT DOCTORS doing VERY IMPORTANT WORK.

It is a shame that the situation arose amid the complication of stem cell research. Of the perspectives available, somewhere in the Great Middle is a solution that will work. However, with Republican radical conservatives given the influence they have, it will some time before we reach it. Meanwhile, expect that a VERY LARGE CONTRIBUTION will be forthcoming from the American Medical Association (AMA) and from other doctor-based lobby interests.