More Collins

Case Western's Neil Greenspan says his issue with Francis Collins as NIH director doesn't deal with Collins' scientific or political skills or even his religious views. Rather, Greenspan is concerned that Collins is an "irrepressible optimist", as a news story in Science recently called him. Writing in The Scientist, Greenspan goes through a few statements made by Collins that he says oversell science. "The director of NIH should be a reliable and realistic source of medical information if the entire biomedical research enterprise is to remain credible," Greenspan writes. "Therefore, in the future, Dr. Collins should harness his intellect to control his enthusiasm so that he is more realistic in his public pronouncements regarding improvements in medical care that will undoubtedly develop in part from new insights into human genetics and genomics." Bring on the dour pessimism, please.

This is close to my own concerns.  I am NOT worried that Francis' religion will lead him to fund a cloning effort to find the soul gene.  I am worried that his beliefs will shape other things he decides in a manner that is not good for science.  The issue, as with Greenspan's comments, is likely to show up in what priorities Francis sets. 

At the same time that "we can pray" Francis beliefs will  motivate the Congress there are major strategic issues facing the NIH because of the huge power biology has acquired to explore new frontiers.  We really do not have a rational process for prioritizing this effort.  This is complicated by the set intersection  between the shift to government health care, the reality of the budget, and the healthcare community's enthusiasms for outcomes research, preventative medicine etc. Nit making decisions will hurt science, making them will need confidence of the scientific community as well as Congress.