French cancer institute chief resigns abruptly

The president of the French National Cancer Institute (INCa), David Khayat, has abruptly resigned effective from August 1, after being at the center of controversy over his administration for several months (Marketletter July 10).

After publicly announcing that an independent audit commissioned by the French ministries of health and of research had exonerated him, Mr Khayat declared in June that: "I have nothing to reproach myself for. My management is impeccable, my honor is restored!"

Assuming that Mr Khayat's successor is another cancer specialist, local media reports suggest that Dominique Maraninchi, chairman of the scientific committee of the INCa and director of the Paoli-Calmettes Institute in Marseille, is the best qualified to take over.