20 



Senator Sarbanes. Okay. 



Mr. Ficca. Dr. Liotta? 



Dr. Liotta. Quality in the intramural program at the National Institutes of 

 Health can be measured in four ways. 



The first is fundamental discoveries that we have made that impact on dis- 

 ease. For example, we broke the genetic code and took that all the way to the 

 first gene therapy. We were the first to institute genetic therapy for ADA defi- 

 ciency and now cystic fibrosis. This will revolutionize medicine. 



Another example is we elucidated the causative agent of AIDS, and devel- 

 oped the AIDS blood test which saved the blood supply. The first treatment 

 for AIDS — ^AZT — was launched in our Clinical Center for both adults and 

 children. 



We have a number of other pioneering approaches to cancer, to vaccines, 

 to Alzheimer's Disease, and I can submit for the record a list of 200 funda- 

 mental discoveries that have profound clinical importance from our intramural 

 program over the last five years. 



The second way to measure quality is the standard measures of publication 

 rate and citation rate. A 1992 study done by the Institute for Scientific Infor- 

 mation showed that we were at the top of the list for citations and productiv- 

 ity in that measure. 



The third way to measure quality is the speed at which we can take a dis- 

 covery from the laboratory to help the patient. Here, we have the largest num- 

 ber of INDs filed with the FDA for new treatments than any other institution. 



And the fourth measure is outside review. In 1989 and 1988, the Institute 

 of Medicine conducted a study of the intramural program at the NIH and 

 concluded that it should not be privatized and concluded that it was stellar in 

 the quality of its science and should be sustained and enhanced. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Senator Sarbanes. What was the date of that study? 



Mr. Ficca. It was 1988. 



Senator Sarbanes. Okay. Thank you very much. 



Mr. Ficca. We can provide a copy. 



Senator Sarbanes. We can get it. General McGarvey? 



Gen. McGarvey. Sir, we don't have, to my knowledge, any concrete evi- 

 dence in NASA that the condition of the facilities has been detrimental to re- 

 taining our research scientists and engineers. 



We do have difficulty in attracting the fresh-outs, the ne^^-iy graduates en- 

 tering at the basic level due to the competition from outside. Most of it is sal- 

 ary, as opposed to the work environment in the workplace. 



As I say, to my personal knowledge, I don't believe that it has had an ad- 

 verse impact. If it does, we don't have any evidence of it at this point. 



Senator Sarbanes. As I understand it, you have a highly developed, as it 

 were, master plan to look at the problem of the deteriorating facilities and try 

 to get them back up to standard. 



Gen. McGarvey. That is correct. In all of our nine major centers, all ex- 

 cept one have up-to-date master plans for the facilities and the needed up- 

 grades. As I mentioned earlier, in the past year we have done almost a 

 wall-to-waU inventory at seven of those nine major centers and the other two 



