Since the protocol has not been formally suspended, there is little to
prevent Dr. Kutter continuing to work on the animals and collect data until it
is formally suspended. The PI has taken advantage of the time to collect
additional data. Thus, if the decision to call an emergency meeting of the IACUC is made,
it is imperative that the IACUC meeting be convened as soon as possible to
deal with the issues. This may prove inconvenient to the IACUC
members, but, IACUC members need to remember that their responsibility is to
the University and to maintaining the public's trust in the University.
No matter how important the PI thinks his work is, the actions of Dr.
Kutter demonstrate a total lack of respect for the AV, Dr. Katz and total
disregard for federal laws and institutional policies. It is unlikely that
the IACUC will be happy with Kutter's egotistical decision to continue.