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J Med Ethics 2004;30:1-7 doi:10.1136/jme.2003.006577
  • The Olivieri symposium

Introduction to The Olivieri symposium

  1. A M Viens1,
  2. J Savulescu2
  1. 1St Anne’s College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; adrian.viens@philosophy.ox.ac.uk
  2. 2Department of Philosophy, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
  1. Correspondence to:
 Julian Savulescu;
 Julian.savulescuphilosophy.ox.ac.uk

    Adrian Viens, Guest Editor of this Olivieri symposium, and Julian Savulescu, the Editor of JME, set the scene for the symposium.

    In failing...[her] when she needed them most, it is now clear that some members of the University’s Faculty of Medicine heard her muffled cries of academic freedom from the back room, yet their response was to serve another round of drinks and turn the music up louder. With the bombshell revelations in the...affair, the plug may have been pulled on this business sponsored party, and hopefully a sober re-examination of the university’s neglected role and responsibility toward independent inquiry and academic freedom can begin.1 These guys don’t get one thing—we’re not going away. This isn’t a personal vendetta. This is something I want patients to be protected from when I’m dead, fifty years from now.2 [The Olivieri affair is] not a mystery novel, but instead the latest skulduggery at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children.1 The legal assaults which you have endured in your battle against the drug company, and in your battle against the medical establishment appear to have been fought with the type of uncommon bravery that is rarely seen. It is for this reason that our trustees have unanimously chosen to recognise you for this most prestigious award.3 [The Olivieri affair resulted from] a fundamental misreading of the issue as a mere contractual and scientific dispute...[it is] Canada’s worst academic and research scandal in decades...[Since 1998, Olivieri has been] demoted, then restored, then harassed. She has been smeared with allegations attacking her competence, integrity, sanity and personality....4

    The Olivieri affair is one of the most important events to occur in research ethics. From its dominance in the Canadian and international news media, to changes in the governance of public health, academic medicine, …

    [Full text of this article]

    Responses to this article

    • Introduction to the Olivieri Symposium – Setting the Record Straight
      • Adrian M. Viens
      J Med Ethics published online June 2, 2004
    • Introduction to the Olivieri Symposium – Don’t fudge the ethics
      • Brenda L. Gallie,
      • Peter R. Durie, Paul J. Ranalli, John E. Dick, Helen S. L. Chan
      J Med Ethics published online May 13, 2004
    • Reponse to the Olivieri Symposium
      • Paula Chidwick,
      • Eoin Connolly, Andrea Frolic, Laurie Hardingham, Chris MacDonald, Pat Murphy, Patricia Rodney and George C. Webster
      J Med Ethics published online March 2, 2004

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