Leonard Minsky Responds:
Mr. Bernier is concerned about upholding the professional and personal reputation of scholars and scientists, and so am I. This is why NCUPI [the National Coalition for Universities in the Public Interest, of which Mr. Minsky is executive director) has come to the aid of Professor Cantekin in his defense against the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, which has been trying to fire him for blowing the whistle on scientific corruption.
At the heart of the UPMS campaign against Cantekin is the ludicrous charge that he “stole” data belonging to the principal investigator. Since this research was funded by the public through the N.I.H., how could it be stolen from the P.I.? Who, after all, owns publicly funded research? Bemierhas testified that U. of Pitt. and the P.I. own it. This is a controversial assumption, to say the least, and will soon be the subject of further...