HMS Prof. Resigns After Fraud Allegations

A Harvard Medical School specialist on aging resigned last Tuesday from two administrative positions following questions about the misuse of grant funds.

Dr. Jeanne Y. Wei will no longer serve as director of the Medical School's Division of Aging and as the head of the Division of Gerontology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). She will retain her position as an associate professor at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and her clinical and research appointments at BIDMC.

Donald L. Gibbons, the Medical School's director public affairs, would not comment on the reasons behind Wei's resignation.

BIDMC spokesperson Bill Schaler also declined to comment.

"Only Dr. Wei can respond as to why she resigned," Schaller said.

Wei could not be reached for comment.

Wei's resignation follows a federal lawsuit against her and BIDMC alleging misuse of research funds. The suit arose when another scientist under Wei's supervision was accused of not using a grant according to the requirements of the award.

After an initial investigation, the federal government intervened and settled with BIDMC for $920,000. BIDMC also agreed to maintain a compliance program designed to prevent fraud and misuse of federal funds.

Wei's research focuses on the biology of aging and heart disease. She is a member of the National Institute on Aging's Advisory Council and currently receives four grants from the. agency.

Vicky Cahan, public affairs specialist for the National Institute on Aging, confirmed that Harvard contacted the agency this past week, telling them "it has reason to examine a particular grant" awarded to Wei, known as a "Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Program Award."

"We have just been notified of this and it's too early to comment," said Cahan. "We'll certainly follow up on it, of course."

On Saturday, the Boston Globe reported that HMS plans to announce the creation of a compliance committee to the faculty in the next several days. Gibbons declined to discuss whether the new committee is related to the investigation into Wei's grant.

Wei's resignation came as a shock to Dr. Eric J. Hardt, clinical director of geriatric services at Boston Medical Center.

"At times there are people who develop reputations for unsavory dealings, even in academic medicine," Hardt said. "Jeanne Wei is not such a person."

Hardt believes that speculations surrounding Wei's resignation may be unfounded or exaggerated.

"On a grander scale of things, this more resembles accounting error and poor planning than it does fraud in my book," Hardt said.

Hardt noted the respect Wei has earned within her field and amongst her colleagues.

"She's somebody who's been around for a number of years. She has an impeccable reputation with integrity and excellence in geriatrics," said Hardt.