powerful pharmaceutical organization in 1965. Before joining PMA, Stetler held positions with several federal agencies. He is a lawyer by training. In recent years, much of PMA's efforts in Washington have been directed toward combating what the organization considers to be further federal intrusions into the way the prescription drug industry goes about its business. Last year, for example, PMA vigorously entered the debate on Capitol Hill over rewriting the U.S. prescription drug laws. PMA strongly opposed legislative proposals that would force drug firms to make public data that the industry jealously guards as trade secret information. Speaking for PMA, Stetler often presented the industry's position to Congressional panels such as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's health subcommittee. Last week Kennedy paid tribute to Stetler during subcommittee hearings into this year's versions of the drug law rewrite. Noted the Massachusetts Democrat, "We enormously value your presence, Joe. Your testimony has been forceful, well thought out, enormously helpful to the committee." Relations between Kennedy and Stetler have not always been this warm, however. PMA and Kennedy often were sharply divided on drug and health issues. Engman, 43, was chairman of the Federal Trade Commission from 1973 to 1976. Currently in law practice in Washington, D.C., he will take over at PMA on July 1. A native of Grand Rapids, Mich., he is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Harvard law school. D
Gene splicing may yield new flu vaccine Like distant thunder that is drawing ever closer, recombinant DNA technology, or gene splicing, is moving inexorably toward practical applications. Now scientists at G. D. Searle & Co. have developed what might lead to a new vaccine against influenza. Molecular biologists, working at Searle labs in the U.K., synthesized the gene for one of the influenza virus's key proteins, called hemaglutinin (HA). That protein is also ordinarily part of the crucial "antigenic profile" that a virus presents to a body it's infecting. That profile is what the body must recognize when mustering the immune system to ward off the flu. Searle scientists are providing only sketchy details of their work at present. That's partly because several patent applications are pending, British team director Arthur J. Hale tells C&EN. Though the procedures for making HA are still "at the bench level, the yields are very good indeed," Hale says. He attributes some of the Searle team's success to development of
Chemistry professor loses retirement suit
An Indiana court has upheld the University of Notre Dame's policy of terminating employment of tenured faculty members at age 65. A suit brought against the university in 1977 by chemistry professor James P. Danehy has been decided in favor of the defendant (Notre Dame) by Starke County (Indiana) Circuit Court Judge Marvin D. McLaughlin. Danehy chose to contest the matter in court after being terminated when he turned 65. The judge ruled that although the university does have a uniform policy for terminating faculty contracts, it also has a very "sketchy" procedure for rehiring after age 65, and no standards, requirements, or prerequisites for who will be rehired. At Notre Dame a tenured faculty member automatically becomes emeritus on the first day of July following his 65th birthday. He may continue in service at the option of the university through an annual contract. Therein lies Danehy's principal objection to being terminated. In the 10 years before Danehy's termination, 81 faculty members reached emeritus status and were terminated. But 27 of them were Engman; premier lobbying organization rehired for periods of up to six years.
8
C&EN May 28, 1979
"linker and switching" groups, which consist of sequences of nucleotides linked up to the (synthetic) viral gene, enabling scientists to control its activity. The nucleotide sequences of these groups are among the subjects that Hale is reluctant to discuss. The HA protein produced by gene splicing is "identical" to the one madç naturally by the influenza virus as determined by an antibody assay, Hale says. However, he notes that the protein has not been purified to see whether it contains any of the carbohydrate normally carried by that protein in the virus. The gene-splicing scheme for making a flu vaccine is still "hypothetical," Hale says. Its real advantage would be to nip in the bud the flu virus's tendency to keep changing antigenic profile. Thus, many varieties of the antigenic protein genes could be held "on tap" in bacteria. Their synthesis for vaccine production then would be programed according to the antigenic profile of the flu making the rounds. The one HA protein produced so far is being tested in animals for ability to raise an appropriate immune response. "We don't have enough data to make any claims about effectiveness," Hale says. D
This, claims Danehy, is arbitrary and manifestly unfair. Danehy is not too surprised at the decision, but he is obviously disappointed. He also believes that he has done what he set out to do—namely, to challenge an institution that, he believes, "had long and continuously practiced an arbitrary, discriminatory, unjust, and unchristian policy." The university has no comment on the suit or decision. The challenge so far has cost Danehy $4000. Further appeals probably will not be made unless independent legal help appears. One possible route for action concerns the exemption that universities were granted when the legal mandatory retirement age was raised to 70 years. The exemption extends to July 1,1982, and Danehy believes that the exemption is unfair and discriminatory. In Danehy's case there was never a question of professional competence, intellectual or physical capacity, or "cause" involved in the termination. He was terminated only because he was 65. A student newspaper editorial noted that the university's termination policy may be legal but is neither equitable nor ethical. Campus sentiment generally favors Danehy's position. D
