August 19, 2008

A Memo from Pamela B. Davis, M.D., Ph.D
Dean and Vice President for Medical Affairs and the Arline H. and Curtis L. Garvin, M.D., Research Professor, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

To the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Community:

University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University have been committed partners in the areas of medical research and education for more than 100 years, and both institutions greatly value this collaboration.

Therefore, when we learned that statements made in the 2007 University Hospitals Annual Report did not accurately reflect the research support awarded to, and the research conducted by, Case Western Reserve University and our excellent School of Medicine faculty, we communicated our concerns to Tom Zenty, University Hospitals Chief Executive Officer.

The annual report contains a statement of total grant and contract revenue for University Hospitals. In the report, UH claims credit for $223 million from the NIH in 2007. In fact, the $223 million figure attributed to NIH is the total research dollars received by the School of Medicine basic science departments as well as those clinical departments based at University Hospitals Cleveland. All NIH dollars, and all grants other than industry-sponsored clinical trials, are awarded to the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine and its faculty researchers.

In addition, the annual report states that UH performs basic science research. In fact, our distinguished faculty at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine using funding awarded to the School conduct the extraordinary basic science research that is highlighted in the report. Only industry-sponsored clinical trials are sponsored through UH.  Our faculty, some of whom are UH physicians, conduct basic and clinical research and receive NIH funding through their academic appointments at the School of Medicine, which is the institutional grantee. We are proud that the basic science discoveries of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine scientists make their way into clinical studies and ultimately into clinical trials, so that eventually the important findings in the laboratory reach fulfillment in patients. 

In this continuum, the academic and research strengths of the School of Medicine are directly attributed to our faculty.  I applaud the tremendous work and their accomplishments.

Sincerely,
Pamela B. Davis, M.D., Ph.D.
Dean, School of Medicine
Vice President for Medical Affairs
The Arline H. and Curtis L. Garvin, M.D., Research Professor
Case Western Reserve University