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| 5/23 |
| 2005/10/2-4 [Health/Disease/General, Academia/Berkeley/CSUA/Troll] UID:39945 Activity:nil |
10/2 Scientist who saved literally millions of lives is persecuted
by Bush Administration and convicted of mishandling of
plague:
http://csua.org/u/dla
\_ I can't access it.
\_ Purports to require cookies; doesn't work in IE or Firefox
\_ Use this URL instead. It bypasses the stupid cookie detect.
http://csua.org/u/dld
http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/CID/journal/issues/v40n11/36870/36870.text.html
\_ Tried this in 2 browsers. It says I need cookies on. I do.
\_ Works for me in Firefox.
\_ This is way too depressing to read. |
| 5/23 |
|
| csua.org/u/dla -> www.journals.uchicago.edu/CID/journal/issues/v40n11/36870/36870.html?erFrom=7972774623742279096Guest If your browser does not support frames, you may wish to upgrade to a bro wser that does support frames. |
| csua.org/u/dld -> www.journals.uchicago.edu/CID/journal/issues/v40n11/36870/36870.text.html Thomas C Butler^ has had a long^ and successful career that^ ha s focused on problems^ and illnesses of underprivileged^ persons, includ ing those in^ the developing world and^ indigent patients in this^ count ry. He received a^ Bachelor of Arts degree^ from Johns Hopkins Universit y^ in 1962 and a^ Doctor of Medicine degree^ from Vanderbilt University (Alpha^ Omega Alpha) in 1967,^ which was followed by^ an internship and residency^ in internal medicine at^ Johns Hopkins University during^ 196 7 1969. He then served^ in the US Naval^ Medical Research Unit in^ 196 9 1971, received a Vietnam^ Service Medal and a^ National Defense Serv ice Medal^ in 1971, and was^ subsequently honorably discharged with^ the rank of lieutenant^ commander. Butler returned^ to Johns Hopkins Un iversity^ for an infectious diseases^ fellowship (1971 1973) and then^ was a member of^ the Hopkins faculty during^ 1973 1975. Butler mo ved^ to Case Western Reserve^ University in 1975, where^ he remained as an^ assistant professor and, later,^ as an associate professor^ until 19 87, during which^ time he spent 4^ years at the International^ Centre fo r Diarrhoeal Diseases^ Research in Dhaka, Bangladesh,^ where he was head ^of the Host Defense^ and the Pathogenesis-Therapy Working^ Groups and h ead of^ Dhaka Station Hospital. In^ 1987, he moved to^ Texas Tech Univer sity as^ Chief of the Infectious^ Diseases Department, a position^ he he ld until he^ was forced to resign^ in January 2004. His^ most recent project inv olving^ plague grew out of^ his realization that the^ antibiotics most o ften recommended^ to treat human plague^ (streptomycin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline)^ are outdated, have problems^ with resistance, are in ^short supply, and/or are^ not ordinarily stocked by^ pharmacies. He bel ieved it^ important to have clinical^ data to show that^ more-modern and widely available^ antibiotics could also effectively^ treat patients wi th clinical^ plague. In 2000, he^ began a collaboration with^ colleagues at the University^ of Tanzania in which^ he served as a^ consultant and provided a^ reference laboratory for a^ study designed to compare^ the efficacy of gentamicin^ and doxycycline therapy in^ clinically ill patie nts with^ Y pestis infection. He initially^ used his own funds^ to help his Tanzanian^ colleagues get the study^ underway. The study was^ revie wed by Tanzania's medical^ research review board and^ was conducted at t he^ University of Tanzania and^ under government authority; the^ institu tional review board at^ Texas Tech University apparently^ exempted the p roject from^ review, because Dr. Butler^ was serving only as^ a consulta nt, without direct^ patient care responsibilities. Butler^ could not locate 30^ vials of plague s pecimens^ and reported this to^ the safety officer at^ Texas Tech Univer sity; the^ Federal Bureau of Investigation^ (FBI) was notified by^ Texas Tech University, which^ resulted in 60 FBI^ agents rapidly descending upon^ Texas Tech University and^ the briefing of government^ officials, apparently up to^ the level of President^ George W Bush. According^ to reliable sources, Butler^ was questioned by FBI^ agents without legal c ounsel which^ he waived, because he^ felt he had nothing^ to hide, he had^ worked with the military^ and federal agencies for^ years on this a nd^ other projects, and he^ genuinely wanted to help^ the FBI allay publ ic^ fears. Although the^ original concerns o f bioterrorism^ were not supportable, multiple^ additional charges large ly unrelated^ to the disappearance of^ the vials containing Y pestis^ w ere filed (ie, "piled^ on"), including illegal transportation^ of plag ue bacteria, tax^ evasion, embezzlement, and fraud,^ for a total of^ som e 69 charges carrying^ a maximum sentence of^ 469 years in prison^ and $ 17 million in^ fines. Many of the^ charges had to do^ with contract disp utes Butler^ had with his university^ (which are normally handled^ throu gh civil, not criminal,^ proceedings) and were unrelated^ to the origina l charges^ associated with the disappearance^ of the vials. During his trial,^ members of the T exas^ Tech University administration testified^ against Butler, despite strong^ support from his colleagues^ and friends. The role^ of the Texas Tech^ University administration in the^ prosecution of Dr. Butler^ has been of great^ concern to faculty throughout^ the nation and is^ conside red by many to^ be unprecedented. Butler t o^ less than the minimum^ set by federal guidelines,^ citing Dr. The^ grants and contracts have^ followed and have been^ attributed to the defendant's^ research and abilities and^ not that of Texas^ Tech University. Texas Tech^ University Health Scien ces Center^ has received great prestige^ and recognition as a^ result o f the defendant's^ medical research abilities, which^ substantially out weighs any potential^ harm brought upon Texas^ Tech University as a^ re sult of the defendant's^ actions in this case.... Number^ two, as noted in^ trial and sentencing testimony,^ the defendant's research and^ dis coveries have led to^ the salvage of millions^ of lives throughout the^ world. There is not^ a case on record^ that could better exemplify^ a great service to^ society as a whole^ that is substantially extraordina ry^ and is outside of^ anything the United States^ Sentencing Commissio n could have^ formulated in their devising^ of the guidelines governing ^departures regarding education and^ vocational skills, ... It should^ be noted that the^ record adequately reflects these^ contributions to be exceptional^ in n ature. Many wrote to^ th e judge urging a^ suspended sentence with community^ service; The presidents^ of the NA S, the^ IOM, and the European^ Society of Clinical Microbiology^ and Inf ectious Diseases, as^ well as many prominent^ scientists and physicians, wrote^ to then Attorney General^ John Ashcroft to express^ their concer n about the^ impact of the prosecution^ of Dr. Butler (the^ presidents o f the NAS^ and the IOM had^ written only once before^ to an attorney gen eral,^ Janet Reno, and their^ letter was concerned with^ the prosecution of Los^ Alamos National Laboratory scientist^ Wen Ho Lee). Four^ academ y members who are^ Nobel Laureates wrote, on^ behalf of themselves, that ^"this respected colleague has^ been subjected to unfair^ and disproport ionate treatment." We^ certainly agree that biote rrorism^ is a serious threat^ and that we should^ work hard to combat^ i t At the same^ time, if you or^ I develop plague tomorrow,^ we would li ke there^ to be an easily^ available antibiotic whose efficacy^ had been proven in^ a clinical trial, which^ is exactly the goal^ Dr. Tom Butler,^ a physician-scientist and member^ of the IDSA, resp ected^ by all colleagues who^ know him and his^ work, has been stripped^ of his professorship, tenure,^ salary, and medical license^ and has spe nt his^ life savings and retirement^ to defend himself. Butler and discourage^ misuse of current laws^ designed to defend u s^ against terrorism by writing^ to members of Congress,^ to the Departm ent of^ Justice, or to the^ newly confirmed Attorney General^ Alberto Go nzales. Butler's^ appeal is currently pending^ in the US Court^ of A ppeals for the^ Fifth Circuit. He is^ being ably defended by^ Jonathan T urley of Georgetown^ University and by Daniel^ Schwartz. He has exhauste d^ his personal savings and^ retirement funds. If you^ wish to assist hi s^ defense by providing expenses^ for his appeal, donations^ to the Thom as Butler^ Legal Defense Fund may^ be sent to Daniel^ C Schwartz, c/o B ryan^ Cave LLP, 700 Thirteenth^ St. PubMed^ 5 Butler T, Islam M, Azad AK, Islam MR, Speelman P Causes of death in diarrhoeal diseases after rehydration therapy: an autopsy study of 140 p atients in Bangladesh. Wanke C, Butler T, Islam M Epidemiologic and clinical features of i nvasive amebiasis in Bangladesh: a case-control comparison with other di arrheal diseases and postmortem findings. Rabbani GH, Butler T, Knight J, Sanyal SC, Alam K Randomized contro lled trial of berberine sulfate therapy for diarrhea due to enterotoxige nic Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae. B... |
| www.journals.uchicago.edu/CID/journal/issues/v40n11/36870/36870.text.html Thomas C Butler^ has had a long^ and successful career that^ ha s focused on problems^ and illnesses of underprivileged^ persons, includ ing those in^ the developing world and^ indigent patients in this^ count ry. He received a^ Bachelor of Arts degree^ from Johns Hopkins Universit y^ in 1962 and a^ Doctor of Medicine degree^ from Vanderbilt University (Alpha^ Omega Alpha) in 1967,^ which was followed by^ an internship and residency^ in internal medicine at^ Johns Hopkins University during^ 196 7 1969. He then served^ in the US Naval^ Medical Research Unit in^ 196 9 1971, received a Vietnam^ Service Medal and a^ National Defense Serv ice Medal^ in 1971, and was^ subsequently honorably discharged with^ the rank of lieutenant^ commander. Butler returned^ to Johns Hopkins Un iversity^ for an infectious diseases^ fellowship (1971 1973) and then^ was a member of^ the Hopkins faculty during^ 1973 1975. Butler mo ved^ to Case Western Reserve^ University in 1975, where^ he remained as an^ assistant professor and, later,^ as an associate professor^ until 19 87, during which^ time he spent 4^ years at the International^ Centre fo r Diarrhoeal Diseases^ Research in Dhaka, Bangladesh,^ where he was head ^of the Host Defense^ and the Pathogenesis-Therapy Working^ Groups and h ead of^ Dhaka Station Hospital. In^ 1987, he moved to^ Texas Tech Univer sity as^ Chief of the Infectious^ Diseases Department, a position^ he he ld until he^ was forced to resign^ in January 2004. His^ most recent project inv olving^ plague grew out of^ his realization that the^ antibiotics most o ften recommended^ to treat human plague^ (streptomycin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline)^ are outdated, have problems^ with resistance, are in ^short supply, and/or are^ not ordinarily stocked by^ pharmacies. He bel ieved it^ important to have clinical^ data to show that^ more-modern and widely available^ antibiotics could also effectively^ treat patients wi th clinical^ plague. In 2000, he^ began a collaboration with^ colleagues at the University^ of Tanzania in which^ he served as a^ consultant and provided a^ reference laboratory for a^ study designed to compare^ the efficacy of gentamicin^ and doxycycline therapy in^ clinically ill patie nts with^ Y pestis infection. He initially^ used his own funds^ to help his Tanzanian^ colleagues get the study^ underway. The study was^ revie wed by Tanzania's medical^ research review board and^ was conducted at t he^ University of Tanzania and^ under government authority; the^ institu tional review board at^ Texas Tech University apparently^ exempted the p roject from^ review, because Dr. Butler^ was serving only as^ a consulta nt, without direct^ patient care responsibilities. Butler^ could not locate 30^ vials of plague s pecimens^ and reported this to^ the safety officer at^ Texas Tech Univer sity; the^ Federal Bureau of Investigation^ (FBI) was notified by^ Texas Tech University, which^ resulted in 60 FBI^ agents rapidly descending upon^ Texas Tech University and^ the briefing of government^ officials, apparently up to^ the level of President^ George W Bush. According^ to reliable sources, Butler^ was questioned by FBI^ agents without legal c ounsel which^ he waived, because he^ felt he had nothing^ to hide, he had^ worked with the military^ and federal agencies for^ years on this a nd^ other projects, and he^ genuinely wanted to help^ the FBI allay publ ic^ fears. Although the^ original concerns o f bioterrorism^ were not supportable, multiple^ additional charges large ly unrelated^ to the disappearance of^ the vials containing Y pestis^ w ere filed (ie, "piled^ on"), including illegal transportation^ of plag ue bacteria, tax^ evasion, embezzlement, and fraud,^ for a total of^ som e 69 charges carrying^ a maximum sentence of^ 469 years in prison^ and $ 17 million in^ fines. Many of the^ charges had to do^ with contract disp utes Butler^ had with his university^ (which are normally handled^ throu gh civil, not criminal,^ proceedings) and were unrelated^ to the origina l charges^ associated with the disappearance^ of the vials. During his trial,^ members of the T exas^ Tech University administration testified^ against Butler, despite strong^ support from his colleagues^ and friends. The role^ of the Texas Tech^ University administration in the^ prosecution of Dr. Butler^ has been of great^ concern to faculty throughout^ the nation and is^ conside red by many to^ be unprecedented. Butler t o^ less than the minimum^ set by federal guidelines,^ citing Dr. The^ grants and contracts have^ followed and have been^ attributed to the defendant's^ research and abilities and^ not that of Texas^ Tech University. Texas Tech^ University Health Scien ces Center^ has received great prestige^ and recognition as a^ result o f the defendant's^ medical research abilities, which^ substantially out weighs any potential^ harm brought upon Texas^ Tech University as a^ re sult of the defendant's^ actions in this case.... Number^ two, as noted in^ trial and sentencing testimony,^ the defendant's research and^ dis coveries have led to^ the salvage of millions^ of lives throughout the^ world. There is not^ a case on record^ that could better exemplify^ a great service to^ society as a whole^ that is substantially extraordina ry^ and is outside of^ anything the United States^ Sentencing Commissio n could have^ formulated in their devising^ of the guidelines governing ^departures regarding education and^ vocational skills, ... It should^ be noted that the^ record adequately reflects these^ contributions to be exceptional^ in n ature. Many wrote to^ th e judge urging a^ suspended sentence with community^ service; The presidents^ of the NA S, the^ IOM, and the European^ Society of Clinical Microbiology^ and Inf ectious Diseases, as^ well as many prominent^ scientists and physicians, wrote^ to then Attorney General^ John Ashcroft to express^ their concer n about the^ impact of the prosecution^ of Dr. Butler (the^ presidents o f the NAS^ and the IOM had^ written only once before^ to an attorney gen eral,^ Janet Reno, and their^ letter was concerned with^ the prosecution of Los^ Alamos National Laboratory scientist^ Wen Ho Lee). Four^ academ y members who are^ Nobel Laureates wrote, on^ behalf of themselves, that ^"this respected colleague has^ been subjected to unfair^ and disproport ionate treatment." We^ certainly agree that biote rrorism^ is a serious threat^ and that we should^ work hard to combat^ i t At the same^ time, if you or^ I develop plague tomorrow,^ we would li ke there^ to be an easily^ available antibiotic whose efficacy^ had been proven in^ a clinical trial, which^ is exactly the goal^ Dr. Tom Butler,^ a physician-scientist and member^ of the IDSA, resp ected^ by all colleagues who^ know him and his^ work, has been stripped^ of his professorship, tenure,^ salary, and medical license^ and has spe nt his^ life savings and retirement^ to defend himself. Butler and discourage^ misuse of current laws^ designed to defend u s^ against terrorism by writing^ to members of Congress,^ to the Departm ent of^ Justice, or to the^ newly confirmed Attorney General^ Alberto Go nzales. Butler's^ appeal is currently pending^ in the US Court^ of A ppeals for the^ Fifth Circuit. He is^ being ably defended by^ Jonathan T urley of Georgetown^ University and by Daniel^ Schwartz. He has exhauste d^ his personal savings and^ retirement funds. If you^ wish to assist hi s^ defense by providing expenses^ for his appeal, donations^ to the Thom as Butler^ Legal Defense Fund may^ be sent to Daniel^ C Schwartz, c/o B ryan^ Cave LLP, 700 Thirteenth^ St. PubMed^ 5 Butler T, Islam M, Azad AK, Islam MR, Speelman P Causes of death in diarrhoeal diseases after rehydration therapy: an autopsy study of 140 p atients in Bangladesh. Wanke C, Butler T, Islam M Epidemiologic and clinical features of i nvasive amebiasis in Bangladesh: a case-control comparison with other di arrheal diseases and postmortem findings. Rabbani GH, Butler T, Knight J, Sanyal SC, Alam K Randomized contro lled trial of berberine sulfate therapy for diarrhea due to enterotoxige nic Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae. B... |