NIH Director Thanks BethAnn McLaughlin

Francis Collins, the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued an apology today to victims of sexual harassment that lauded "Dr. BethAnn McLaughlin, whose leadership of the #MeTooSTEM movement has provided a voice for victims of harassment." Vanderbilt University, which is firing Dr. McLaughlin in apparent retaliation for her activism, should follow the example of the NIH, which notes, "We are concerned that NIH has been part of the problem.  We are determined to become part of the solution.". 

The statement released by NIH adds,"To all those who have endured these experiences, we are sorry that it has taken so long to acknowledge and address the climate and culture that has caused such harm." We urge Vanderbilt University to acknowledge and address its own climate that is harming victims, discouraging reporting of harassment, and promoting retaliation against those who brave the system to report in spite of the personal and professional costs. Vanderbilt has the opportunity to be a real leader in the national effort to reform the toxic culture of academic sciences. Instead of firing Dr. McLaughlin, they should grant her tenure and support her efforts on behalf of #MeTooSTEM.