signed at the request of the Bush Administration. The search for a new NIH head has been slowed both by politics and the inherent limitations of the job itself. Although NIH's budget of about $8 billion a year is four times NSF's $2 billion budget, the director wields much less direct power. At least one top early candidate for the NIH directorship reportedly rejected the post after being quizzed on his views on abortion. To calm the ensuing controversy, HHS Secretary Louis W. Sullivan announced in October 1989 that politics would no longer be a consideration in choosing the NIH director—rather, scientific and leadership credentials would be paramount. Sullivan also convened a blue-ribbon advisory panel to look at ways to enhance the appeal of the NIH directorship. Currently, many of the NIH director's decisions are subject to second guessing by higher-ups at HHS. Even within NIH, the director has little direct authority and must lead by persuasion, according to NIH sources. The panel recommended raising the NIH director's salary and beefing up power over issues like staff recruitment and advisory committee a p p o i n t m e n t s — steps that would make the NIH top job more like NSF's. Both Healy's science and policy qualifications appear impeccable. Ironically, however, she is on record with a position directly opposed to Sullivan's on the volatile issue of fetal tissue research. Healy served on the NIH advisory panel that recommended in 1988 that Sullivan lift a ban on federal funding of research that uses tissue from aborted fetuses. Sullivan overruled the group's recommendation and extended the ban indefinitely. NIH has been functioning reasonably smoothly under acting director William Raub. But an acting director doesn't carry the clout of a political appointee, especially with Congress. The House Committee on Appropriations, for example, has specifically asked in its report accompanying NIH's 1991 appropriations bill that the new NIH director prepare a four-year management plan aimed at cutting costs. Wil Lepkozvski and Pamela Zurer
U.S. capital outlay to fall short in 1990 Perhaps at the beginning of a year, companies are more optimistic about what they are going to build. Or perhaps it's just the effect of the current economic situation on the t h i n k i n g of corporate planners. Whatever the reason, the Commerce Department's latest survey of U.S. capital spending shows a large revision downward for the chemical industry from the forecast at the end of last year. Spending on new chemical plants and equipment in 1990 now is projected to total $19 billion, a 3% increase over 1989. At the end of last year, the department projected an increase of almost 7%. Chemical spending for 1990 is well below the 5% increase forecast for all manufacturing. C&EN's own survey of 1990 capital spending plans for major chemical firms, taken at the end of last year, forecast a rise of 12% worldwide, with only 5% growth in the U.S. (C&EN, Dec. 18, 1989, page 9). The 3% rise forecast for 1990 is the industry's lowest growth in spending since the mid-1980s. Commerce's data show chemical capital spending up 19% in 1988 and 11% in 1989, for instance. Unlike last year, w h e n capital spending by chemical producers increased in the second half, the industry is putting on the brakes in
Capital spending growth slows for chemicals $ Billions
1987
88
89
a Planned. Source: Department of Commerce
90 a
this year's second half. In 1989, the industry spent at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of $18.2 billion in the third quarter and $20.3 billion in the fourth quarter. This year, the industry will spend at an annual rate of just $17.9 billion in the third quarter and $18.5 billion in the fourth. However, even the lower Commerce Department forecast may be overly sanguine. The survey was conducted before Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. The resulting squeeze on chemical profitability may well make corporate planners rethink their capital spending schemes for the remainder of this year and next. William Storck
Added gene corrects cysticfibrosiscells Two separate teams of scientists, working with culture media, have corrected cystic fibrosis cells— which bear a defective gene—by adding the normal gene to the cells. This development opens the way to the possibility of gene therapy for cystic fibrosis patients. "This research is a milestone in the drive to cure CF," says Robert K. Dresing, president and chief executive officer of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which provided partial support for the studies. Both teams find that insertion of the normal gene corrects the defect in the diseased cells, whereas addition of a defective gene does not. One of the teams—led by James Wilson and Francis Collins of the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, and Raymond Frizzell of the University of Alabama, Birmingham—used a retrovirus to introduce the normal cystic fibrosis gene into human cystic fibrosis cells in vitro [Cell, 82, 1227 (1990)]. The other group—headed by Alan Smith of Genzyme Corp., Framingham, Mass.; Douglas Jefferson of Tufts University School of Medicine; and Michael Welsh of the University of Iowa College of Medicine—used a different virus to insert the gene into the cells [Nature, 347, 358 and 382 (1990)]. September 24, 1990 C&EN 5
News of the Week authorizing the Resource Conservation & Recovery Act. Reilly is also excited about the "Enterprise for Americas Initiative," proposed legislation President Bush recently sent to Congress. "The initiative is designed to foster freer trade throughout the hemisphere and to encourage investment in Latin America," Reilly explains. But it also has "an extremely important environmental component." In the past, private conservation organizations have successfully completed so-called "debt-fornature swaps." But Reilly claims this is the first time the government proposes to allow "the public debt of the U.S. to be renegotiated, and some portion of the interest [on the debt] to be applied to conservation and environmental protection [in the debtor countries]." Latin American countries owe the U.S. some $12 billion, and $7 billion of that is foreign assistance loans. Reilly believes "the $7 billion ought to be ripe for renegotiation in those countries that meet" certain specified terms. Given the rich tropical forests in Latin American nations but their paltry budgets for protecting them, this "debt-for-environment" provision "is potentially one Stu Borman of the most significant" environmental initiatives of the Bush Administration, Reilly contends. Calling it "an extraordinary volunEPA head outlines current environment issues tary effort," last week Reilly anIn recent remarks, William K. Reilly, in terms of their physical health, but nounced that nine major companies Environmental Protection Agency with regard to their economic have agreed to voluntarily cut toxic Administrator, has staunchly de- health and national security as air emissions from 40 chemical plants in 14 states. Some of the cuts will be fended the impending Clean Air well." Act, applauded a new Presidential EPA's analysis indicates that re- made as early as February 1991, but environmental initiative, and lauded quirements in the pending legisla- all planned reductions will be in major industrial companies for vol- tion leading to the switch from oil to place by December 1993. By then, untarily cutting toxic air emissions. cleaner burning alternative fuels some 9.5 million lb of toxic emissions EPA has analyzed clean air legis- would save the U.S. from 800,000 to will be cut annually. By comparison, lation now pending in House- 1 million barrels of oil a day. Some some 280 million lb of toxic pollutSenate conference in light of the of this saving would be realized as ants were released in 1988. The nine firms involved are BASF, current Persian Gulf crisis. Accord- early as 1992. ing to Reilly, the agency finds pasReilly says "enactment and ener- Dow Chemical, Exxon, General Elecsage of the bill would lessen the na- getic implementation of the Clean tric, Goodyear, Occidental Chemical, tion's dependence on foreign oil Air Act" is his top priority for the Reichhold, Texaco, and Texas Petroand have "the prospect of reconcil- next six months. He also intends to chemical. OxyChem's vice president ing some critical energy objectives strengthen the scientific capability for environmental affairs Thomas L. with environmental goals." of the agency. And in light of this Jennings says, "This demonstrates The National Clean Air Coalition, enhanced ability, "attend to cost and the willingness of nine chemical a group of environmental organiza- economic impact" of EPA actions. firms to take a proactive approach to tions, agrees. NCAC chairman Rich- He hopes to "be able to give some the Clean Air Act amendments," ard Ayres says, "A strong Clean Air real energy to pollution preven- now pending in Congress. Lois Ember Act will benefit Americans not only tion," perhaps in the context of re-
Cystic fibrosis is the most common hereditary lethal disease in Caucasian children. It is characterized by viscous, infected bronchial tract secretions that lead to pneumonia and ultimate death in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. On a molecular level, the defective gene produces an abnormal version of a protein called cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Defective CFTR produces epithelial cells that line the airway and lungs and that are unable to transport sodium and chloride ions across cell membranes in a normal fashion. Failure of this transport system causes thick mucus to form in the airways and other symptoms of the disease. Scientists believe direct addition of normal genes to defective cells lining the airways of patients with this disease might reverse the abnormal transport of sodium and chloride in vivo, and thus correct symptoms of the disease, providing the basis for human gene therapy. Indeed, the first human gene therapy trials in humans—in this case to treat severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome and melanoma (C&EN, Aug. 6, page 4)—received final regulatory clearance on Sept. 14 and began that same day at
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September 24, 1990 C&EN
the National Institutes of Health. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation officials believe the disease could now become a candidate for such trials. Gene therapy for cystic fibrosis patients might involve breathing aerosolized, nonpathogenic viruses that would transfer the normal cystic fibrosis gene to cells lining bronchial passages. Over time, transformed cells in the airway would die and be replaced by new, defective body cells. Therefore, says Robert J. Beall, executive vice president for medical affairs at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, "Patients might have to breathe this aerosol twice, maybe three times a week. That's all to be determined, obviously. If this could bring these kids back to a normal life expectancy, we would consider it a cure, even though they might have to be on continuous medication." Paul M. Quinton of the division of biomedical sciences at the University of California, Riverside, says, "Only a few years ago, the idea of introducing normal genes into the CF lung to correct its fatal susceptibility to infection was science fiction. Now the accomplishments of these investigators seem to press the fiction inspiringly close to reality."
