Wilson Named to NIH Advisory Panel

Radcliffe President Linda S. Wilson has been named to a special advisory committee charged with re-evaluating the role of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) director, Radcliffe officials announced yesterday.

The 16-member committee, which met for the first time on Monday, will recommend to the Department of Health and Human Services ways to strengthen the position of NIH director to better meet the scientific challenges of the 1990s, said Patricia Hoban, a senior policy analyst in the department.

"[Secretary for Health and Human Services Louis B. Sullivan] wants to take a look at the structure of the NIH to see how it can be strengthened and work more effectively," said department spokesperson Robert Schmermund.

The move to strengthen the role of the NIH director comes at a time when the Bush Administration has been criticized for its inability to fill the position. William Danforth, Sullivan's first choice for the post, withdrew his name from consideration after questions from the White House concerning his stance on abortion.

Administration critics have charged that Bush officials have attempted to make abortion a political "litmus test" for appointments in Health and Human Services.

But in an interview yesterday, Wilson attributed Danforth's withdrawal to problems caused by a single individual in the personnel office. She said that both Bush and White House Chief of Staff John H. Sununu have assured Sullivan that abortion will not be a litmus test issue for the NIH position.

More important criteria, she said, are the "scientific excellence and leadership capability" needed to handle the problems the NIH will face over the next decade.

A capable NIH director will need to be able to respond quickly to severe biological and medical problems, such as the AIDS crisis, "without being delayed by too many organizational layers," Wilson said.

"The NIH needs a leader with the vision, judgment and flexibility to be able to operate in a time of such incredibly exciting expansion of scientific opportunities," Wilson said.

Wilson, who has a doctorate in chemistry, served on the National Advisory Council on Research Resources of theNIH from 1978 to 1982. She also serves on anadvisory board to the Department of Energy, and isa candidate for president of the Association forthe Advancement of Science.

Also serving on the 16-member committee are MITPresident Paul E. Gray, former NIH Director DonaldFrederickson, and several other leaders inbusiness, government and academia.

Wilson said she is very impressed by the levelof experience on the committee.

"These are the people who it makes sense toturn to for advice in this area, who have accessto networks of advice beyond the committee," shesaid