The following letter that we received has been forwarded to the NIH (National Institute of Health) and has been warmly acknowledged by them.

Prof. Epstein, UND ,the Feds & Fraud

From: A UND Prof. Emeritus
Date: 22 Nov 2000
Time: 14:40:02

Comments

I came coincidently across your web ( UND News ) during the search for the " UND News Letter " ( resemblance of names ? ) . The major article on UNDSM Prof Epstein attracts attention . A subsequent review of the web's material , including the resume , strongly suggests a Conspiracy to Fraud the Federal Government Agency NIH , which funded several of the Prof's grants . There are abundance of Circumstantial Evidence advancing the thesis of Conspiracy , exerting undue influence and the unfortunate assistance rendered by the UND administration in this regard .

#1. Professor Epstein used his track and connection at NIH , as a reviewer of grants , to obtain grants for himself alone ( as PI ) and with others ( as a co investigator ) . The Prof served in such capacity in 1994 , 1997 and 1999 , during which periods several grants were approved for funding ( starting dates : 9/30/1997-98 , 9/1/97-99 , 8/1/99-2002 and a pending start for 6/1/99 .

#2. The grants were renewed despite lake of proven scientific productivity as required , where applicable . This primarily includes demonstration by publications of the results , as a prerequisite for progress reports for grants renewals and extensions .

#3. Prof. Epstein became a co-investigator on other grants by Dean of medicine , Drs. Blake and Kang , which were funded by NIH although the last two individuals had little experience or track records of independent research and publications . These grants started during the same periods of Epstein's sting as a grant reviewer for NIH ( grants commenced 7/1/94 , 4/1/95 and 10/1/99 , considering that grant's applications are usually sent to NIH 4 - 6 months before their start .

#4. Concealments of information . Professor Epstein as well as the Dean of Medicine , were aware of the pending forced resignation by Dr. James Kang and the new career taken by Professor Blake , to become a full time medical student at UND , when the Dean approved the grants and when Epstein joined both grants as a co investigator. -- The grant for Dr. Blake should not have been approved due to the lack of appropriate time to conduct research ; and the request for part of the salary for Blake on the grant amounts to fraud under these conditions . This deception by UNDSM [Editors note: University of North Dakota School of Medicine]  to cover-up for Blake continued for at least two years with the approval of the Dean of Medicine , who signs off on all UNDSM grant's applications before they are sent to the UND administration .

#5. Duplication of grant's proposals violated the relevant NIH regulation .The titles of Prof. Epstein's grants approved by NIH bear strong resemblances to these funded by other sources . This conflicts with the rule requiring original proposal to be funded provided they do not represent previous or ongoing supported research .

#6. Duplication of grants unfairly increased personal monetary gains for Prof Epstein , since the Prof was augmenting his salary ( or some called it rightly " double dipping " ) from these grants . Again , this violates another aspects of NIH regulation , i.e., no salary or part of are to be paid for investigators from their NIH grants if they were fully supported by their University .{ believe me that UND will be dogged down for years to come if this was investigated by NIH .

#7 . Lack of professional curtsey by Epstein . Reviewing ( on the Med Line ) the title pages of several publications by the Prof shows the deletion of UND and UNDSM for the author's address and affiliations .

Your message was forwarded to us at Grants Information (GrantsInfo) by the
NIH Information Office.  It has also been sent to our supervisors.

Health Sciences Insider	Re: Prof. Epstein, UND ,the Feds & Fraud	12-22-2000
Here we go again . the administration at UNDSM is in action again and this time with more blunders . Check UNDSM internets' new information at( http://www.med.und.nodak.edu/bimed/pharm_faculty.html )and you will find 1) Dr.Epstein , who was an Associate Professor when he resigned from UND in last November , or earlier , has become a Professor at UNDSM and in the same department , and 2) who holds the title Adjunct , although he is residing over a thausand miles away ( Uiversity of Louisville , school of medicine , Louisville , Kentucky ). Did Epstein realy resign from UND ? Did the ND Education Board approved the obvious new appointment ? Did Epstein go through the promotion process at UNDSM ? Did the UND President approve the Adjunct status nowing Epstein's place of residency . These pecularities support the conspiracy story and is most probably related to transferes of Grants and research equipments .
Glenda Miskin	Re: Prof. Epstein, UND ,the Feds & Fraud	12-22-2000
Your message of this cover up has been forwarded to the NIH.
Another Insider	Re: Prof. Epstein, UND ,the Feds & Fraud	12-23-2000
Some body must be reading this web page from both UNDSM and Louisville school of medicine and responding by corrections to cover their tracks .       (1) First , Associate Professor Epsteen resigns from UNDSM under clouds to become an Adjunct Associate professor of Pharmacolgy at Univ. of Louisville school of medicine , Louisville , Ky . That was reported here and commented upon by stating that such " Adjunct " appointment is not satisfactory to transfere Epstein's Federal NIH grants from UND to Louisville , KY . In response, Louisvile school of medicine gave Epstein an appointment in the clinical department of Pediatrics , for which Epsteen has no educational background or a medical degree ( Source: Web site for department of pharmacology and toxicology for the University of louisville school of medicine prior to 12 /21/00 ) . P.S. This was only shown on the Univ. of louisville's web page relevant to the Dept of Pharmacology Dept. but not of pediatrics. Surprise !!       (2) The comment that Epstein does not qualify for promotion at UND due to poor teaching and lack of independent research was encountered by UNDSM when a speedy promotion was granted to Epstein to become an Adjunct Professor after his resignation from UND . One more Surprise !!( souce : UNDSM website for the dept. of physiology , pharmacology and therapeutics ).       (3) This pecular promation of Epstein by UNDSM was followed shortly thereafter , within less than one month of Epstein's appointment at Louisville school of medicine , by Epstein's receipt of the titles for Professor of both parmacology and pediatrics ( Source : Modified web page of dept. of pharmacology and toxicology of the louisville school of medicine after 12/21/00 , or one day after comments made on this issue here ). P.S. As of today the department of pediatrics at Louisville school of medicine does not acknowledge , on its web page , the presence of Epstein among any type of its faculty .       (4)Epstein avoided disclosure of his resume on the Louisvill University web ( probably one of few ) in an attempted cover-up for previous shortcomings reported here . One has to perceive that his resume might appear one day after several corections are checked , for which Epstein should be thankful to this web page to show him how an honest resume should be done . That will not be a surprise .       (5) The fact that all events have been done and coordinated within the Louisville pharmacology department indicates a possible link . Who else , but David Hein , the former UNDSM Pharmacology Chair who moved to Louisville school of medicine for a similar position .       The forgoing documented developments are indicative of organized efforts between UND and Louisville , mediated by David Hein from Louisville in concert with the UNDSM Dean , who worked for 22 years in Kentucky before coming to UND . The results of such unethical performance by both Medical schools , will grant sharing of funds from Federal NIH grants asigned to Epstein . Epstein , in the mean time , emerges with an appointment at another medical school , an undeserved promotion , and more salary . Surprise , it is Fraud in Academics .