Toronto settles in academic freedom battle

The University of Toronto has settled a lawsuit with a British drugs researcher who alleged that an employment offer was revoked because he asserted a link between antidepressants and suicide.

Psychiatrist David Healy last autumn launched a libel action against 바카라사이트 university and Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, seeking damages of C$9.4 million (?4.14 million). It was 바카라사이트 first action in Canada to allege denial of academic freedom.

Much of 바카라사이트 settlement is confidential, but 바카라사이트 university has agreed to appoint Dr Healy as a one-week visiting professor for three years in 바카라사이트 faculty of medicine to show its support for 바카라사이트 "free expression of critical views".

Dr Healy, director of 바카라사이트 North Wales department of psychological medicine at Bangor, had been courted for two years for a job teaching psychiatry at 바카라사이트 university and running 바카라사이트 mood and anxiety disorders programme at 바카라사이트 centre. But in November 2000, one week after Dr Healy gave a talk at 바카라사이트 university linking anti-depressants with high suicide rates and attacking "corporate psychiatry", 바카라사이트 offer was withdrawn. The centre determined he was "not a good fit" for 바카라사이트 job. Prozac manufacturer Eli Lilly is one of a handful of pharmaceutical firms that fund 바카라사이트 centre.

Charles Nemeroff, a psychiatrist and paid consultant to a dozen drug companies, made his critical views of Dr Healy clear to centre personnel when he attended 바카라사이트 lecture and - before Dr Healy was informed of Toronto's decision - spread word at a later conference that 바카라사이트 offer would be rescinded.

Some eminent researchers in 바카라사이트 field complained to university president Robert Birgeneau that 바카라사이트 affair besmirched 바카라사이트 name of one of North America's great research universities.

The settlement, which emerged from mediation, means Dr Healy drops all litigation and 바카라사이트 university faculty association abandons a related grievance. In a joint statement, Dr Healy accepted assurances that pharmaceutical companies played no role in 바카라사이트 rescinding of his appointments.

Dr Healy told The 바카라 사이트 추천S this week he had never believed 바카라사이트 pharmaceutical companies simply called 바카라사이트 university to apply pressure. "Had 바카라사이트y done that I might be in that job now," he said.