Colonel Anderson Refutes False Allegations Against Dr. Ivins

http://georgewashington2.blogspot.com/2008/08/colonel-anderson-refutes-false.html

Colonel Arthur Anderson is the chief of human use and ethics at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), the bioweapons facility where Dr. Ivins worked and where the anthrax strains were apparently obtained by the anthrax killer.

In that position, Colonel Anderson's responsibilities include the following jobs:

"Conduct inquiries and investigations upon receipt of allegations of scientific misconduct or improper researcher behavior.

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Prepare timely and intensive fact-finding reviews of minimal risk protocols that qualify for expedited review; ... Advise senior officials in writing of the approvability of protocols, and addenda; ... Conduct substantive continuing review of active protocols; ... Investigate issues arising during conduct of studies"

Colonel Anderson is also a highly-respected scientist in his own right (a pathologist).

Anderson disputes two of the government allegations against Dr. Ivins.

First, he disputes the allegation that Ivins told no one that he had found anthrax in his lab for many months. Specifically, as reported in today's Wall Street Journal:

"Col. Anderson says Dr. Ivins told him about the lapse in safety shortly after it occurred, contradicting Army findings in 2002 that Dr. Ivins had told no one."

Anderson's role as the person in charge of "conduct[ing] inquiries and investigations upon receipt of allegations of scientific misconduct or improper researcher behavior" and of "investigat[ing] issues arising during conduct of studies" is therefore important. He was an appropriate person for Ivins to speak to about his anthrax tests (admittedly, protocol required Ivins to tell others as well; but the fact that Ivins told Anderson shows good faith and a lack of guilty conscience on Ivins' part).

Second, Anderson says that social worker Jean Duley's conduct was wholly inappropriate and lacked credibility. Anderson, as an ethics expert and someone who knew Ivins well, simply doesn't buy Duley's allegations.

Again, I don't know whether Ivins is guilty or not. But the government's allegations to date hold no water.

Anderson sounds like a "stand up guy"

He sounds like he's not intimidated by the FBI or media and is willing to portray the truth about matter.
It sounds more and more like Ivins was a good man. It shows the power of the "government" which can destroy lives if it so desires.

Patient's Right to Privacy?

How can a Healthcare Professional ignore privacy regulations? I found it odd to hear such privileged information on national broadcasts, when an investigation was incomplete and a trial had been pending, and thus was unresolved.
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from your link above to article about Jean Duley's comments:

"He was concerned with how the Institute was perceived and how he was perceived," Anderson said. "That manifested itself in the care he took in conucting his research."

As a health care professional and bioethicist -- he heads USAMRIID's Office of Human Use and Ethics -- Anderson said he takes issue with what he views as Duley's professional betrayal of Ivins.

"I can tell you very clearly that the minute a conflict of interest occurs in the caregiver-client relationship É she has to withdraw as the caregiver," he said. "She can't ethically continue to gather information or share information -- betray that trust -- without disclosing to her client that she is sharing what he believes is confidential, privileged information."

Anderson said that if he was to betray a patient's trust in such a manner, he would be subject to medical disciplinary procedures.

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Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/

What is HIPPA?
http://www.hipaadvisory.com/REGS/HIPAAprimer.htm

Interesting to see where this takes Col. Anderson's career?

Col. Arthur Anderson is to be commended for standing up. It may not be career enhancing, however?

It'll be interesting to track Col. Anderson to see how this stand might affect his career?

Col. Arthur Anderson
...don't believe them!