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Arthur
O. Anderson, M.D.
Dr. Anderson's remarks at Commencement are now available on his website.
With
chemical warfare a very recent concern of Coalition Forces in Iraq and SARS still in the news from China to Canada, Wagner College is proud to honor
one of her own who is a senior scientist, pathologist, and ethicist at the
US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases in Frederick,
Maryland; and whose research in basic immunology on improving the
effectiveness of vaccines against biological warfare agents is one of the
reasons we proceeded with confidence into Iraq.
Although
Arthur O. Anderson is proud of his research accomplishments, as well he
should be – having contributed 79 original articles published in pathology,
immunology and molecular biology journals – his most important
responsibility is the protection of the rights and welfare of human
volunteer subjects as Chief of the Office of Human Use and Ethics at the
United States Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases.
A
native of Staten Island, he grew up in Westerleigh
not far from the Willowbrook State School. As
early as the late 1950’s, news articles and stories told by neighbors who
worked at Willowbrook had a big impact on his
feelings about the rights and welfare of research subjects, especially
those with limited autonomy.
A
biology pre-med major at Wagner College that resulted in his acceptance to
the University of Maryland Medical School, courses in religion and
philosophy were required at Wagner regardless of one’s major and he came
under the influence of Dr.’s Kegley, Unjhem, Hackman and Nickander of the Religion and Philosophy Department.
He took more than the courses required as it was in that department that he
learned something about the diversity of human beings and what they value,
and was introduced to the tools used by ethicists to make informed
decisions.
In
his own words, “These experiences on Staten Island and at Wagner College
proved more valuable than anything learned in medical school, or during my
residency in pathology at Johns Hopkins, in helping me to set up the first
Human Use Committee at USA Medical Research Institute of Infectious
Diseases for review and approval or disapproval of all research protocols
involving humans as research subjects.” The success of his office and the
program he organized is regarded as, “the moral model for ethical research
involving human subjects.”
A
guest lecturer at dozens of universities and conferences both here and in
Europe, his work has been featured on the A&E History Channel Cable TV
network, on ABC News World News Tonight, and on NPR, National Public Radio.
Recently
Colonel Arthur O. Anderson was honored as the recipient of the Army Order
of Military Medical Merit. His alma mater wishes to honor him today, not
solely for his achievements, but also as an exemplary role model for the
class of 2003, of which he today becomes a member.
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