Dear UCSF community:
I am writing to share the outcome of some important work undertaken by our Program for Historical Reconciliation (PHR), which my office established to examine and report on moments in UCSF’s history that have raised questions about our past institutional practices.
The PHR recently examined clinical experiments performed at California prisons in the 1960s and 1970s under the direction of UCSF faculty in the Department of Dermatology. In its report, the PHR acknowledges the problematic and unethical nature of the research – despite its perceived acceptability to some at the time – and identifies a path forward focused on reconciliation and restorative justice. More information on the findings can be found in this story, published on the UCSF.edu website.
As a learning institution committed to equity and transparency, we believe it is important to acknowledge this historical harm and document the lessons we have learned, even if those lessons are realized years later. While the findings are troubling, I am heartened by this opportunity to hold our history accountable and affirm UCSF’s commitment to our community and ethical values as we continually seek ways to strengthen the way we serve our public mission.
Sincerely,
Daniel H. Lowenstein, MD
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
Dr. Robert B. and Mrs. Ellinor Aird Professor of...
Dear UCSF Community:
As we approach the end of the third year of the pandemic, UCSF recently assessed our collective response to this global health emergency. We focused on the actions we took together with our government and community partners to serve our diverse communities, and I am pleased to present our observations and findings in this report.
This assessment augments the COVID Equity Work Group’s report published in March. It reflects the progress we have made together in addressing the health disparities and inequities vulnerable populations experience.
The unprecedented scale of collaboration and coordination in our public health response to the COVID-19 crisis produced numerous lessons and adaptations that protected countless lives. However, we recognize that more must be done to address the health inequities facing underserved communities.
As we apply these important lessons to strengthen our impact, let us bridge the remaining gaps so that we can sustain and expand a health-equity approach for the benefit of all. My hope is that this resource will be useful to others in strengthening how they meet the care needs of the traditionally underserved.
Thank you for your ongoing leadership, collaboration, and innovation during three years of the global COVID-19 pandemic. I am proud of how our UCSF community has met these challenges, and I am grateful...