Dr. Jose Montoya was recently let go from Stanford. (from https://stanfordhealthcare.org/doctors/m/jose-montoya.html)
Eleven years ago, Dr. Jose Montoya bucked his mentor’s advice to stay away from ME/CFS at all costs. In 2008, he made history by opening one of the first chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) clinic/research centers at a top university.
While the promise of his research center never seemed to be quite fulfilled, Montoya, nevertheless, seemed to thrive. He enrolled new researchers to study ME/CFS, brought a Symposium to the campus, and embarked on one of the largest ME/CFS immune studies ever done. An articulate speaker, he was known for his compassionate calls for more research into this disease.
It came as an enormous shock then when The Stanford Daily – a student run, independent campus newspaper – reported on June 3rd that Dr. Jose Montoya’s employment with Stanford University had been terminated on May 30th for “violating University rules of conduct”. Stanford Medicine’s Infectious Diseases Division Chief, Upinder Singh, reported that an investigation had been launched in response to “complaints relating to his conduct.”
Singh stated that Stanford employed an outside attorney and an unnamed Stanford faculty member to respond to what they called “multiple violations of the University’s conduct policies.” Singh’s notice referenced University policies which require “fair and respectful treatment of employees” and those which prohibit “harassment and discrimination.”
On June 4th, the Stanford Daily reported that a former member of the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Initiative, which Montoya previously led, stated that “violations of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct” were behind the complaint. The Daily reported that a group of those affected wrote the following anonymous statement:
“This past March, a large group of women who have worked under Dr. Montoya came forward with extensive allegations of sexual misconduct, assault and harassment. The allegations included multiple instances of Dr. Montoya attempting unsolicited sexual acts with his female employees, among many other instances of harassment and misconduct, and were confirmed in an investigation.”
On June 4th Science reported that a University spokesman provided this statement:
The School of Medicine has made the decision to terminate Dr. Montoya’s employment with the University. Upon receipt of complaints relating to his conduct, we promptly initiated an investigation led by an outside attorney and Stanford faculty member that found multiple violations of the University’s conduct policies. We believe that this is the appropriate course of action for the Stanford University community based on these findings. We note that Dr. Montoya has the right to appeal this decision. We are not commenting further on this matter out of respect for the privacy of all individuals involved.
ME/CFS Advocacy Takes a Hit
The investigation’s results appear to have brought an end to Dr. Montoya’s time at Stanford (he can appeal). His patients will lose their doctor. His research may be threatened and his position as an important advocate for ME/CFS will end. (What will happen to the clinic is not clear but Janet Dafoe reported that Stanford does not desire to close it.)
It’s a remarkable denouement for a man who in his public persona seemed to exemplify an unusual kind of cultivation and elegance, and a shocking development for a community which has only known Dr. Montoya as an advocate for the neglected.
Dr. Montoya’s history with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) dates back to 2004 when he saw his first ME/CFS patient. After she responded – to his surprise – to antivirals, his interest grew. When in 2005 Montoya told his mentor that he was planning to focus on ME/CFS, his mentor pointed to a homeless person lying in a Parisian gutter, and stated, “That’s going to be you if you go into chronic fatigue research”.
Montoya’s 2006 valganciclovir study found that 9 of 12 severely ill patients with evidence of EBV and HHV-6 infection essentially recovered. That study provided hope for many, and in 2008, when an anonymous donor gave him $8 million, he opened one of the first ME/CFS research and treatment centers (the Stanford Initiative on Infection-Associated Chronic Diseases) in a top university. In 2014, he convinced Stanford to host its first ever ME/CFS Symposium.
Mixed Research Record
Montoya did not publish a great deal but did contribute some significant insights. A toxoplasmosis expert, doctor and researcher, he was not a fast worker. His eagerly awaited valganciclovir follow-up study – which had much less positive results – took, for instance, seven years to get published.
Besides the valganciclovir trials, Montoya was the senior or lead author on seven studies over the past 11 years. Hs submaximal exercise study demonstrated that exercise dramatically altered ME/CFS patients’ immune networks. His EEG study uncovered remarkable differences in EEG patterns in ME/CFS patients.
His 2014 brain imaging study achieved startlingly specific results (13/16 patients showing the abnormality and none of the healthy controls) which received substantial media attention. The studies lead author, Zeineh, later received a major NIH grant.
Montoya gathered probably the biggest set of biological samples ever for his 2017 ME/CFS cytokine study (almost 200 patients and 400 healthy controls) which contributed a potentially important insight – that fatigue severity in ME/CFS is not associated with increased cytokine levels compared to healthy controls, but with increased levels of cytokines within the ME/CFS cohort.
However, not everything was hunky-dory. Montoya’s newsletters sometimes over-promised. His lead EEG researchers, citing a lack of communication, left his group. Montoya never jelled with Ron Davis and both submitted grant applications for an NIH-funded research center at Stanford. While other doctors were part of Davis’s Working Groups, Montoya was not.
A passionate spokesman and advocate for ME/CFS, Montoya’s 2011 Stanford talk has been viewed over 80,000 times on YouTube.
He was also a frequent contributor to the IACFS/ME Conferences, participated in the NIH’s Common Data Elements project, the CDC’s Roundtable event, and the Bateman Horne Center’s Clinician Coalition.
At least to me, Montoya’s history of good works in ME/CFS makes his termination and the accusations against him all the more shocking. As in other workplaces, sexual abuse in universities is not uncommon. In fact, Stanford made the headlines decades ago when, citing an “ugly, demeaning” atmosphere rife with sexual harrassment, a top neurosurgeon quit its faculty.
Sexual Assault on Campus not Rare – Termination of Tenured Faculty Is
Dr. Montoya does not appear to be accused of harrassment of students. A 2015 recent survey of students at 27 research universities, however, suggested that sexual harrassment is not uncommon even in elite universities. It found that 5.9 percent of female undergraduates and 22.4 percent of female graduate students reported being sexually harassed by a faculty member. The fact that many of the incidences involved repeat offenses by the same researcher indicated how lax universities have been in the past in policing their staff.
My recollection is that Montoya became tenured when he started the ME/CFS research center. If so he was afforded additional protections. Tenure requires that “detailed and often complicated due process procedures” need to have been undertaken for his removal. One review states that:
“Perhaps the most common and public of causes for termination of a tenured faculty member relates to immoral or personal conduct. Often, the term of moral turpitude is used to describe behavior that is so abhorrent to be universally condemned. The causes for this type of termination might include abuse, sexual harassment, fraud, and criminal activity to remove a faculty member.”
Dr. Montoya can appeal his termination or even sue Stanford for false termination. One website reported, though, that it’s rare for tenured academics to appeal their termination, in part, because, as noted above, “terminations of tenured professors remain unusual.” Another noted that “Termination remains a rare and lengthy process despite the statistics on sexual harassment.”
In the past, universities have usually arranged for a kind of quiet exit. That, however, has been changing in recent years as universities have become more conscious of the need to demonstrate their commitment to provide a safe educational and working environment.
Harshest Possible Penalty Levied
A recent publication outlined the various kinds of penalties universities slap on sexual offenders. Stanford had a variety of options ranging from requiring counseling, to a formal censure letter to the termination. With their decision to terminate Montoya’s employment, Stanford levied its harshest possible sanction on him.
Dr. Montoya has not commented on his termination. Brett Sokolow, executive director of the Association of Title IX Administrators, reported in Inside Hired that with regard to terminations that “some of the ‘really guilty ones,’ or those who are most privacy conscious, will not challenge their terminations while those who feel ‘wronged’ or who are unwilling to admit misconduct are more likely to challenge their terminations”.
Update: on June 6th Dr. Montoya responded to the events of the last week.
I am grateful that Stanford is protecting the women working with Dr. Montoya, but I hope they will be able to find another doctor who is able to speak so eloquently about the need for changes for pwME.
Women who prefer not to be named.
What hapoened to the #MeToo movement?
Lacks credibility unless they make themselves known as I did when it happened to me.
Maybe they didn’t want to get fired, which would be improper for brave whistleblowers like themselves, but likely none the less. Doesn’t lack credibility at all to me. They don’t fire people from big places like Stanford for NOTHING. It has to be a BIG THING.
Scarlet, they let their names be known to the people who counted– Montoya’s bosses. They don’t owe you or anybody else anything.
I agree with you!
Totally disagree. They deserve to lee their privacy.
Scarlet, your comment is appalling. These assault survivors do not need to be named publicly. We are not the judges and juries of this case. The university is, and it did its due diligence (and obviously knows who the accusers are and how credible their claims are). Why do you believe that the entire public gets to try cases such as these? Legally and morally these women are protected. If you are, indeed, a survivor, then you should understand the sort of harassment women claimants get from random abusive strangers. You should also know how difficult it is for women to be believed. The research shows that, on average, it takes four different women to make an accusation before a university even *begins* an investigation. There is a reason that these women are legally protected. Shame on you for casting aspersions **just because you don’t know their names.**
I can think of no reason whatsoever why they need to make themselves known to you, Scarlet. You have no role in this matter at all. Do you really propose making it even more difficult for women to file official complaints?
I disagree. Some of these girls are young. To put themselves in the spotlight and relive it all. They were interviewed thoroughly. A tenured professor would not be fired if there was not adequate and telling evidence. I’m glad you felt you could share your story but it doesn’t mean everyone does. This is true whether you want to believe it or not.
Stanford; You are a coward university; Unnamed faculty member; anonymous sources; Your academic ranking is surely excellent; your moral compass is abhorent
I am in absolute shock! What a waste of his many talents and all that he has done for the CFS community. Thank you, Standford, for taking such quick action. He will, however, be difficult to replace, just as the Scientific Director of Solve ME/CFS was.
All I can say is that the competition in academia is more fierce than big companies. I am puzzled that it took so long for the complainers to come forward, and when it did it was in the midst of a high point of his career. does anyone know if he is still practicing?
This comes as such a kick in the gut to me. I’m glad that Stanford did the right thing, at least it appears they did the proper due diligence before removing a tenured member. Here’s my question – I had made arrangements with Stanford to donate my body upon death. Will they still be carrying on with ME/CFS research? If not, I need to find someone who can get more out of this old meat sack than I currently can. (Sorry, I’ll always treat my passing with a bit of irreverence). But I really do need to know if I should make other arrangements. Does anyone know?
Look for help with Dynamic Neuronal Reprocessing System or Gupta program.
Thank you, Stanford, for doing the right thing. I’m sorry, because it’s a blow to the ME/CFS community, but this sort of behavior cannot be tolerated. When will there be an end to it? Enough!!!
MAURO ESPITIA
Conozco, al Hoy Doctor José Gilberto Montoya desde hace no menos de 50 años,estudié con el desde niños y se de su integridad,su moral y de su amor por la humanidad.
Hmmmm, seems to be more than “allegations” if the complaints were upheld by an investigation? I don’t care how good his research MAY be, if he is sexual assaulting his staff I don’t want him in any way involved in my care or in the care of other vulnerable patients or in the research field.
You’re right – it was the investigation that did it. I imagine that his medical license will be stripped as well. I didn’t know him at all but judging from his public persona he was the last person I would have suspected of this.
I agree. Odd.
Cort, my thoughts exactly. Also, he seemed considerate, fighting for those who are at a disadvantage (PWME) and not getting tons of applause I’m sure when he tried to get the clinic going (Parisian gutter thing, the CFS stigma etc), humble in his speeches, but seeking justice for this community. And helped so many best he could. These aren’t genrally thought to be attributes of someone who would conduct such selfish, awkward, and hurtful behavior thats an abuse of power potentially also. The mind struggles to compute. But at the same time, I don’t doubt the ladies’ truth. And I’m sad for them. And for his patients…the ones he treated well. I don’t know everyone’s experience. Sigh.
Which goes to show you that public persona is no way to judge a sex abuser. That’s why so many girls have a first date with a nice guy, only to end up being raped. That’s what triggered my CFS/ME, a many like him that “acted” normal.
Agreed, Cort. I have been his patient since 2008 (or 2009) when he was still doing his valgancyclovir study. I never would have expected this from him. Surprising and disheartening, to say the least.
I agree, never suspected. He has been such a hopeful person bringing so much dedication to this fight and to lose his credentials, everything challenged and questioned now is such a devastating detriment and loss to our community. Regardless of this case, I personally used his work as I pushed to fight the disease and use his studies to try and get medication covered by insurance, provide testimony to a Dr. treating the cause and it will impact the ME/CFS community so greatly. I lt is terrible to have this news and I wish more than anything this could somehow be unproven. My thoughts and prayers with anyone grieving from this loss as we did lose a true advocate it. it stings. <3
Un hombre que gozaba de admiracion y poder, lo uso con sus propias colegasy con mujeres en indefencion. Ellas hablaron, se hizo la investigacion, y lo despiden. Todo hasta ahi va bien pero espero que desde el punto de vista etico y penal, su credencial o licencia medica sea retirada.
Poorly translated by Google Translate:
A man who enjoyed admiration and power, and used it with his own colleagues and with women in defenselessness. They talked, the investigation was done, and they fired him. Everything up there is going well but I hope that from the ethical and criminal point of view, your credential or medical license is withdrawn.
I agree. I find it odd. I’ve emailed with him and he seemed very professional.
Wow. A bit shocked. His professional persona (and care and fight for the ME/CFS community) is so strikingly different from these allegations and what investigations apparently found. A bit hard to process. I appreciate his contributions. I feel sad for women and whatever they allegedly experienced. Power dynamics and abusing power is so wrong. I feel sad for patients that lost a clinician that helped improve their health and helped give them (and this community) hope. I hope somehow, some way, something good comes from this current sad situation. And that those affected find healing and peace.
I am a radical feminist sick for 40 years with ME/CFS. I very much doubt these allegations. I once had lunch with Dr Montoya and found his very good manners to reveal a gentleman’s behaviour which in North América could be misunderstood. There was nothing improper in his bahaviour. I was young and cute then. Perfect target. But no, there was no improper behaviour on Dr Montoya’s part. I smell sexism 1000 miles away.
I wonder whose interests are at stake in these accusations? We might be shooting ourselves in the foot.
Clara, sexual harassment (and assault, rape, verbal abuse, etc.) is not about sex mostly, it’s about power. This is why old women/ men, ugly women/ men, disabled women/ men, etc. get victimized. One does not have to “young” or “cute” to be victimized.
The research shows that powerful people who sexually harass or otherwise abuse their subordinates do it because they like the feeling of powerfulness. And it’s not just about powerful people, many of whom don’t get into these troubles. The powerful person has to have serious doubts that they are perceived as powerful even as if by objective factors (looks, fame, talent, money, smarts, etc.) they are. Narcissism also plays a part.
How do I know this? I had a friend who had to work with such a person -before, well-known in his field and when in public, seen as charming, kind, etc. But in private he was a monster to his helpers, men and women. It was not only about sexual harassment it was also about physical and verbal abuse directed at his employees. He was a malignant if fascinating character so we read up on these issues. My friend found another job eventually.
A one-time or even a few times visiting with someone is also no way to judge character. Seeing how they react long-term (especially under stress and when they don’t get what they want) is a much more accurate way. Also, there are plenty of research articles out there showing how excellent narcissists are at manipulating people’s emotions and their perceptions of them.
I don’t know if any of this applies to the situation at Stanford (since I’m being an armchair psychologist here) but this is what the research shows.
Agreed!
Dr. Montoya saw me at Stanford when i was first diagnosed with ME/CFS in the early 2000’s. I had many appointments with him. He helped me through a hard time. Was supportive and very kind. I always liked seeing him. I am very sad about allegations. Dr. Montoya came and spoke effectively in San Francisco at a demonstration i went to for increasing government financial support for research into the condition, stressing it is a real disease. i am very sorry this occurred. very sorry for everyone affected.
I love health rising and have happily donated here, but truthfully I’m uncomfortable with this article. It reads more like a eulogy for a great man than an article about an (alleged) sexual harasser (although confirmed by investigation.)
Since CFS/me has been more acutely affected by “not believing women” than other diseases, I hope a world in which women are listened to about harassment will be the one where hopefully this illness is finally understood.
I’m also hopeful that this could be good, who knows how many bright women stayed away from researching this illness to stay away from Dr. Montoya?
I think we can still be appreciative of the research he’s done, while also acknowledging at the end that it is a great thing that women are finally being protected from harassment. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of that in the article…
I still love all the articles here and this is my first one that I don’t love…
I agree with Kathryn. I wrote the article after learning of Dr. Montoya’s termination but before the I learned of the sexual assault allegations. Late last night when I learned of those I appended them to the top of the blog and went to sleep. Today I amended the blog somewhat to focus less on Montoya’s compassionate advocacy for ME/CFS and included some information on sexual harassment in Universities, tenure and termination. This has been a learning experience.
I stand for the blog as it is now. The allegations are clearly severe and an internal investigation has backed them up. For me, I assume that they are correct. Dr. Montoya has also contributed much to the ME/CFS community and that is part of his story as well.
As we’ve seen time and time again human beings are obviously very complex creatures. In his public appearances Dr. Montoya seemed to me to be the epitome of compassion and graciousness. I never would have dreamed he would be accused of these acts.
I was disappointed and honestly a bit pissed about this article. What exactly is the point of this article? What he did or didn’t do in research and clinical practice has NOTHING to do with what these women are telling the world. They are the victims and should be praised for coming forward. Did you write the same kind of article about Lipkin and Enlander? Why didn’t you speak more to how this continues to happen…and has happened multiple times in the ME community. It feels disgusting that the writer would spend all this time praising someone vs acknowledging how women continue to be treated like shit in the world.
Maybe I missed it but I have never heard of anything remotely like this happening in the ME community before and I think you are mistaking praise for reporting.
Because Dr. Montoya’s time with ME/CFS appears to be at a end, it only makes sense, to me, at this point, to put his time with ME/CFS in context.
For one, prior to this situation, Dr. Montoya was a much appreciated member of this community and, however, he behaved with his employees, he did good and at times courageous work for this community. The fact that this he’s apparently behaved very badly towards his employees doesn’t mean that he didn’t also stick his neck for ME/CFS when few were willing to do so, or that he was not a compassionate doctor to his patients, or that he didn’t push hard for more research for people with this disease.
I am unwilling to report on the bad that Montoya has done while ignoring the good work that he did as well. That strikes me as fundamentally unfair, incomplete, and for me lacks integrity. I strongly believe that the full picture – the good and the bad – MUST be presented. Because he has done bad things doesn’t mean we should push the good things Montoya has done under the rug as well.
Instead we should try to understand how such a thing can happen: how a person whom his patients describe as a compassionate doctor and whom we know to have been a strong advocate for millions of neglected and ill people – can also behave badly towards his employees.
This piece was certainly not an apologia for Dr. Montoya. It presented as full an account of the accusations as I could find, pointed out that sexual harassment is a major issue at Universities, and acknowledged that Stanford meted out the harshest punishment possible. It also acknowledged that Montoya has played a positive role in the ME/CFS community up to now. All that is true – and underscores how hard it is to fit all these pieces together into an understandable whole.
WOW, I am shocked & saddened by this news.
However, I would like to commend Cort on his handling of this article, once again he has shown me his true values.
A level head, an ability to research, write with integrity and sincerity while accepting criticism.
I don’t often comment, but this is a shock and a big blow to all involved.
Thank you Cort for your careful explanation of this situation.
I hope and pray that the truth will be discovered – and publicised – whichever way it goes.
We are all flawed as humans.
Brilliant campaigning and scientific research does not mean a person is above being investigated when necessary.
Nor is good science invalidated if the scientist is found to have broken the law.
As I said, I hope and pray that the truth will be revealed – for everyone’s sake. And that excellent scientific research and compassionate medical care will continue at Stanford.
May the ME/CFS community – patients, campaigners, scientists and doctors grow stronger through this painful and messy situation. We will not be crushed, we will not be silenced, we will continue to persevere until tests, treatments and cures are found.
Rose, agreed!
I second your comment. I find it one of the most balanced ones I read so far.
Let us hope the truth comes out, whatever way it goes and whatever the extend is.
I think Cort made a neutral and balanced blog on this one.
At this moment it is unclear what the final verdict is.
If legal crimes are committed, an official legal investigation and court decision (hopefully based on the full truth and not influenced by who has the best lawyers) is the source to go by.
If misbehavior against the Stanford code of conduct happened, an internal (possibly confidential) investigation report and word of an official spokesperson or the confirmation that Dr. Montoya effectively has been fired must be awaited. A student newspaper is no such source. Based on what I read there is insufficient information to know if he was fired or temporarily suspend as is normally the usual first step in such cases. That makes quite a difference into estimating if the internal investigation is still a preliminary one or a final conclusion has been drawn after thorough investigation.
Let us hope for the best resolution for all who suffered. Whatever happened irreversible damage has been done one way or another.
Allegations do strongly point one direction, awaiting further information will create a clearer picture. In the meanwhile the correct measures are in place.
Thanks De Jurgen – my understanding is the student newspaper found out about the termination from an email sent, I believe, from the Department head to members of Montoya’s former department which indicated that he had been terminated.
I was saddened to hear that someone who had promoted serious science about our illness and took the radical risk, at conservative Stanford no less, to actually treat our community had apparently been so damaging and manipulative towards women over whom he had power. I commend Cort for reporting the whole of this, both the the public and the hidden reality letting we his readers to struggle with reconciling the unreconcilable. Including the uncomfortable reality that we can never know the whole of a person by how they appear to us.
I’m a psychologist who treats survivors of abuse and trauma, many who were abused by paragons of the community: ministers, priests and nuns, philanthropists, teachers and so on. Grappling with the reality that those who harmed them may also have done good for others us is a task of complexity that many of us would rather resolve more simply, concluding any good as false. It’s hard to hold the whole of anything, let alone anything we have a stake in.
Personally I am angered with the harm he did to women who worked under his authority and upset that his actions have set back progress for our condition. We can’t afford an iota of delay from another flawed researcher. 35 years on its likely too late for me to be helped but my I’ll daughter awaits. I stand with the daughters, including the daughters abused by their bosses.
Perhaps an investigation has been conducted and these are violations rather than allegations. It’s hell to come forward but I’m uncomfortable with anonymous sources. And yes, I guess you can call me a hypocrite because I’m signing this comment as Anonymous.
If they fired him, you better believe they have plenty of facts; the powers to be just don’t want them in the public eye, for obvious reasons.
He brought in GRANT MONEY. You have to have proven crimes to be kicked out when you do that (have knowledge in this area).
Agree, Ellie. I worked in academia at an elite university like Stanford as a researcher. The professors who bring in research money are at the top of the research hierarchy in this world. They almost seem untouchable. They carry the outside brand for the university.
The university would not let go of a public facing professor who brings in grant money unless the allegations are verified and the university had no other option. The universities avoid scandals like this at all costs if they can! I think it’s because of #MeToo that the women care forward now and Stanford actually acted.
Sexual harassment at universities is not new, but what is new is the institutions being more willing to take public action and risk a scandal. Sorry this happened with an ME doctor, but glad that powerful male professors are finally being held accountable for their actions in this new climate.
Agreed. They wouldn’t fire someone in a prominent position like that without good reason both because of the grants and because it’s possible to sue for wrongful termination if they had gotten it wrong.
i have been a patient of Dr Montoya for many years. I am shocked and saddened by these accusations. As has been written about, and acknowledged by Dr Montoya himself, he is Colombian and an affectionate man, like the Italian professors I have had the pleasure of working with. This affection may make some Americans uncomfortable but it is not to be misconstrued for sexual abuse or advances. These accusations from his co-workers apparently blind-sided him, suggesting these women did not tell him of their concerns? I am a supporter of the Me too movement. I stand with women everywhere and do not condone inappropriate behavior especially in positions of power but characters and behaviors from other countries need to be considered here. i understand why stanford feels the pressure not to condone this but Montoya would most certainly have adjusted his behavior if he had known it made them uncomfortable. I, personally, love this humaness, softness and kindness in a medical community that is devoid of such emotion and affection. This doctor held me while i fell apart and sobbed uncontrollably. He didn’t meet you with a handshake, he met you with a hug, my husband and kids included! he is all heart and it breaks mine to think he’s been cast out like this.
I completely agree Kathryn, I also feel uncomfortable with the sentiment of this article.
This will play so well into the hands of those who want ME/CFS patients, doctors and researchers who don’t toe the Biopsychosocial (basically, psychiatric) line discredited and suppressed….and those guys are clearly powerful behind the scenes in very high places….that I really can’t help wondering.
On the other hand, sexual harassment and abuse are rife, and also defended at high levels, and found in very unexpected places.
I do hope that the facts, on all sides..will be sought with great determination.
It seems to me that Dr. Montoya has a choice to make. He has lost his job, I don’t know but I assume he will lose his medical license. If he feels he’s being treated unfairly he can appeal the decision and try to restore his job and his reputation. He can also sue the University for damages – something Stanford must have taken into account That would result in the allegations becoming public and then we would know what they were.
Or he can accept the termination and retire. In that case we will probably never know what they were but doing so would leave the impression that they were accurate.
He has a third choice. He can apologize for his misconduct and try to make amends to the victims in whatever way they may accept, and then he can continue his work for the community as a spokesperson and advocate if not as a researcher. If he’s truly a great man, he will admit wrongs and work on to leave the best possible legacy of advocacy to counterbalance the harm done.
I agree. If the allegations are true, as Stanford’s investigation suggests they are, then an apology, a recognition that he’s made mistakes that have injured others, and an attempt to remedy those injuries as best he can, is truly the best way out.
Dr Montoya has apologized – for his Colombian persona not being well understood in an American culture. One can appreciate that perhaps Stanford’s hands were tied so to speak and had no choice particularly in this current climate (?) but this situation seems complicated. The Italian professors I know and love are perhaps fore-warned now… I think this may be an awkward (and in my opinion) sad time when people from other cultures will struggle with their behavior in the workplace, particularly in a university setting that attracts many different nationalities.
El Colombiano siempre sera amable y solidario eso no es algo raro y muy frecuentemente se habla de ello. Lo que no resulta congruente es que ahora se diga que se confunde una actitud cultural, con acoso sexual, por favor , el ser humano sea de donde sea sabe y percibe la intencionalidad de un abrazo de una mirada , de una palabra etc etc , Este señor dr Montoya es un narcisista, camuflado y puede ser el hombre mas atento y cortes que hayan conocido , pero se de buena fuente como es su comportamiento cuando percibe indefensión de una mujer o sabe que tiene el poder derivado de su acción como director de investigación. Que bien universidad de Stanford, que la consideración ética prime sobre su función como medico, pueden estar seguros que habrá quien lo remplace.
He wouldn’t be the first notable ME/CFS researcher to be ‘disappeared’. Every allegation should be heard, taken seriously and investigated, and victims (of course) given support and sympathy, but if anybody had the means to set this situation up, it is those with the most to lose from our disease having a confirmed biomedical cause. I don’t know enough about the situation to proffer an opinion, but if at some later point Dr Montoya were to be exonerated (though career in tatters) I would not be entirely surprised.
Cort – I commend you for the even-handedness with which you wrote this article. It would be so easy to focus only on the shock value of this horrible situation. Yet, you’ve reported the facts as they stand, and as you know them to be.
As a patient of Dr. Montoya’s, this news about him is just absolutely devastating on so many levels. I respected him and admired him, probably, more than just about any other physician I have had over the past 11 years. In fact, he has been one of my heroes. I was scheduled to see him again later this year, before this broke.
As a woman who has experienced sexual abuse in my lifetime, I am genuinely appalled that this could be true. I feel hurt that those women had to experience such conduct. I am glad they are being protected from further public exposure.
I am so sorry that this giant has fallen from grace to the detriment of so many. Yet, I am equally happy that the women who were affected can now breathe easier in their place of employment.
Thank you for all of your reporting, Cort. I’m sure that this story has not been an easy one to tell or to comment on.
Just because someone is kind, and appears well meaning does not in any way negate the fact that they can also be capable of doing this sort of thing. I’m disturbed by the comments questioning women’s credibility. As a former forensic expert I was often surprised that pedophiles, rapists, and other serial abusers were often most soft spoken,” kind” people.
I’m also familiar with the practices at Stanford University due to professor friends who work there as well as RN friends. They are top notch and would not have taken this step if there wasn’t strong evidence supporting the allegations.
I agree with what you have said Matt. I wouldn’t have thought him capable of this type of behavior if I were to judge him based on his demeanor and soft spoken style, but the problem is that you cannot judge on these things alone. I’m sure he was let go for valid reasons if there were multiple complaints against him by women working in close proximity. It is a shame that this has happened as he has done a lot for our cause, however a greater shame would be to accept and cover for unprofessional /inappropriate behavior that would leave these women feeling abused and unheard in a miserable work environment . I think Stanford did the only thing they could do, which was the right thing. I would feel the same if a woman were the one let go because of allegations of sexual misconduct.
I think people should hold their judgment. No one knows who made the allegations or what the allegations even were. If it turned out to be a witch hunt, this would not be the first time that an effective environmental doctor had their career and reputation ruined by retaliatory politics at universities. If it (whatever “it” is) turned out to be true, it wouldn’t be the first time that a brilliant researcher had problems with inappropriate personal conduct. Hopefully, more information will come to light through the appellate process; and may justice be served based on clear and convincing evidence.
I think that if this report were coming from anywhere other than a high-profile university, then that the assumptions that are being made in some of the other blog comments here (e.g. that Dr. Montoya had been tried fairly and indeed is likely guilty of serious offenses) might be considered reasonable.
However, based on some of the stories from the trenches that I have been hearing about what is going on with these kinds of cases at other universities, I would not be so quick to make those assumptions in this case.
A problem that I am seeing is that universities are now defining all of these words (“harassment,” “sexual misconduct,” “attempting unsolicited sexual acts” and “assault”) so broadly that it is impossible to know exactly what was alleged to have happened (much less what actually happened) by looking at this summary.
If it really were the case that Dr. Montoya had been shown to be guilty of what most people, I think, still would consider to be a “sexual assault,” then I would guess that would have been the top thing mentioned here. Rather than just one of a laundry list of different things.
But if instead – as has occurred at other universities – Stanford has broadened the definition of sexual assault to something along the lines of “any kind of unwanted touching that makes the other person feel uncomfortable,” then in that case, it would make sense why there was not more focus on it in the university report.
And then there’s the question of whether what is alleged to have happened (whatever that was) actually happened. Because if a core tenet of the #MeToo movement is that people who state they are victims always are providing accurate accounts and therefore should be believed, then that sets up an awfully lot of potential for abuse of the system to occur.
In general, universities seem so terrified of these cases that I think it is very difficult for those who are accused to get a fair trial. It’s more like the institutions will do basically anything to just make them go away.
So I do not necessarily agree with the assumptions being made here that Dr. Montoya also will get his medical license revoked. Because the medical establishment seems to be (at least so far) working off of an entirely different standard in terms of things like what these words mean and how much evidence is needed to conclude that someone actually is guilty of wrongdoing.
Lisa Petrison, Ph.D.
Thank you, Lisa, you are the only one who has commented realistically on the fact that a university having to make this “go away” to avoid legal ramifications and bad press or for having to establish a precedent etc is NOT indicative necessarily of the man being guilty of abuse. This man by his own admission is affectionate. That could be considered grounds for making these women feel uncomfortable in their place of work. That alone can be considered a violation of Stanfords code of conduct – accepted for years until someone took issue with it. he is not your usual, stiff, detached doctor. He met me at each appointment with such warmth and compassion and extended the same to my husband and children. He is incredibly empathetic. To me he is 1 in a million. He has been my guardian angel. There to bring me back from the brink or to nudge me forward. i owe him so much and wish there were more of him so that others can be served in the same way. i’ve had the misfortune of seeing too many doctors that are either a disgrace to their profession or just plainly disappointing and a waste of precious time and energy. People need to be very careful here indeed when making assumptions about a person they don’t know or a high profile university and
how they deal with cases like this in today’s climate.
I also felt uncomfortable reading this article that follows a headline about sexual assault charges, then focuses on Montoya’s good works rather than covering the charges against him. Cort’s explanation of slapping on the new information at the last minute seems to answer why it feels so incongruous.
It is interesting—and instructive—that people are expressing surprise that someone who they’ve experienced as nice, kind, and compassionate might also be guilty of sexual harassment. If you do any extensive reading about sexual assault in our society, it becomes apparent that a person’s social behavior and standing have nothing to do with the capacity to also be a predator. Until we understand and grapple with the fact that most sexual abuse is by people we know and trust, we’ll be unable to heal and make the deep social and cultural changes required to end sexual violence. Nice doesn’t necessarily mean safe.
Many of us here have had to fight to have the reality of our illnesses validated and recognized—this is on no small part due to the fact that cfs/me and fibro have been seen as women’s complaints, and therefore, in the reasoning of sexism, are only in our minds, that they are “hysterical” rather than factual.
That some of our most outstanding (majority male) citizens can also be predators, and that women’s complaints of illness and pain are not fabrications are two pieces of the same cloth.
Understanding the deep historical roots of the why and how of sexism is essential to changing the perceptions of the medical establishment regarding the illnesses we live with. Likewise, that same historical understanding is required if we are to begin to address sexual abuse in our society.
Thanks Luz for making me think some more. I’m usually, as you know, focused on research and advocacy but this story certainly called for more information on sexual harassment, tenure and the process of terminating faculty – which I’ve just added.
Well stated Luz
I am a patient at the Stanford clinic. I have never been seen by Dr. Montoya (I first saw a PA and then Dr. Bonilla), but I have talked with him in the hall and at ME/CFS public events. This is a terrible tragedy for the ME/CFS community, and I think many of us are terrified of what Stanford might do to the clinic. That said, it is also a terrible situation for Dr. Montoya and for those who, as apparently confirmed by investigation, suffered in the workplace from his behavior. Thank you, Cort, for what I think is a substantive and factual post.
I am very familiar with discrediting campaigns, government harassment programs and the evil that can be done in work environments. Considering what has gone on in the past with ME/cfs and the other researchers who were taken out I have to wonder if these allegations are false. Believe me they pay, make promises to and threaten people to get cooperation in the program. They also use low light cameras and drug people. The first step is to surround the target with people who are the kind who do not know the difference between right and wrong, then they work on them, it can take years to pull the whole thing off. Just because there was an investigation, and note that word is used a lot, does not mean it is true or that he was not set up. That said, if it is true he should have been fired, but why did these women wait so long?
I would be totally shocked. Montoya’s own employees – who have worked with people with ME/CFS daily – appear to have made these accusations. They are not the kind of people who would want to take down ME/CFS, and, of course, they put their own careers at risk by making these accusations.
Making an allegation against their employers – often people with prestige in the community – puts women (or men) at tremendous risk. Particularly at Stanford, which is such a sought after place to work, people will probably withstand more harrassment there than elsewhere, rather than rock the boat, and possibly lose their position.
Besides ME/CFS is pretty darn well entrenched at Stanford. Montoya enrolled many researchers in working on it and Ron Davis has enrolled even more. I would be shocked if Stanford would go after ME/CFS at this point.
Yikes. Can we please not blame the victims here? Did you really just ask
“Why did these women wait so long?” Unbelievable. It doesn’t matter if they waited one day or 1 year. They have a right to a work environment that is safe.
Looks like another “guilty until proved innocent” me-too witch hunt against an upstanding member of society – who someone (or -ones) apparently want to silence and shut down. Scary that the culture is giving women so much power to destroy men without a shred of evidence, like they recently tried to do to that Supreme Court justice. All you need now to completely ruin a man’s career is to get an anonymous woman or two to “come forward” with allegations of “harrassment,” substantiated or not. A word of advice to any fellow ME/CFS or non-ME/CFS who are still working in the world: don’t hire women, don’t mentor women, and don’t meet privately with women for any reason. It just isn’t worth it.
I’m absolutely mortified by this comment. What horribly sexist post. Shame on you.
Nothing “sexist” about it, just factual. Save your shame for the feminist witch hunters who want to destroy men with their false allegations, guilty until proven innocent mentality, and misplaced hatred, thanks.
Hey rick you should be scared because we are sick and tired and we females aren’t going to put up with males harassment and sexual assault anymore. One would think that you see nothing wrong with either of them……and that’s what’s scary.
I’m surprised this comment made it through moderation. I’m surprised it’s even real. Can the owner of this comment not see that it is exactly these kinds of views – and the belief it’s ok and valid to keep down, suppress, sideline and otherwise vilify women, including highly skilled scientists, that has led to #metoo?
I worked in the criminal justice system for many years.
I’d just like to clarify some of the terms used in this discussion, terms that are often mistakenly equated. “Assault” is a crime. “Harassment” is not a crime, though it can be grounds for firing someone or initiating a civil suit for damages.
“Sexual assault” is a criminal act, and involves some kind of unwanted touching. “Sexual harassment” or “sexual abuse” typically involve only verbal actions. These are immoral and unacceptable, but are not criminal offenses. There are all sorts of immoral and abusive things people do that are not crimes, but that are justifiable grounds for firing or disciplinary action by the employer.
And an employer’s investigation is not a criminal trial, which involves hard evidence, witnesses, lawyers, cross-examination of witnesses, an independent judge/jury, public proceedings, and a right to appeal.
(BTW, I wish anyone complaining about the anonymous nature of the allegations would themselves use their own real names in this forum.)
Thank you Christine. It shouldn’t have taken so long for someone to clarify that “internal investigations” do not prove someone guilty of a crime. If you haven’t publicly confessed and haven’t had a chance to defend yourself in court, you’re legally presumed innocent.
I also agree with Lisa P: the fact that this occurred in a big, prestigious university might make it less likely, not more likely, that Montoya got a fair “trial”. Universities administrators in general are notorious for prioritizing ideology and PR concerns (e.g. donors, populist pressure from students).
With that said, a “large group of women” with “extensive allegations” that results in termination of tenure doesn’t bode well. Sounds like a pattern of harassment at the very least. And if he’s proven guilty of assault, he should get what he deserves.
(For what it’s worth, Cort, I think you did a good job with such difficult subject matter. Montoya’s presentations were the best. They significantly helped my family members to “get” ME/CFS. In the end, I want truth and justice. But right now I’m still surprised, grieved and thankful for the work he’s done.)
Harassment is most certainly a crime, and you can be prosecuted in criminal courts for harassing someone. It’s completely wrong to say that harassment is not criminal, even if it can be used in a non-criminal context.
May 30th termination, yet as of 6/5/19, Dr. Montoya still listed, pictured & his video still on Stanford’s web site as if no termination had occurred.
This is absolutely heartbreaking all the way around. I am a patient at the Stanford Chronic Fatigue Clinic and have held the highest regard for Dr Montoya. Universities go to very extensive lengths in these situations and do not terminate without due process. It is heartbreaking for the CFS community as well as the victims and the University.
Humm… having been at Stanford’s clinic just a week earlier, and asking a fellow ME/CFS doctor about Dr. Montoya’s current activities, my ‘intuition’ was ‘pinging’ at his reply. I thought it odd that I got a lot of hand gesticulations and some stammering before a somewhat plausible answer.
As I read through these comments, I find it very interesting how people decry or defend the University’s actions. I’m not going to weigh in on the level of the ‘crime’ or guilt or innocence, but I am taking particular notice of the sex and viewpoint of each of each commenter and how this situation may be influenced by a more personalized idea of ‘what if it was me?’
This seems not unlike some recent political situations like the ‘he said/she said’ while vetting a Supreme Court Justice, or even gathering facts to prove Presidential folly. Most of the time, the offending acts are done in private (with no ‘documentation’) and so there isn’t any hard evidence–only assertions. Now, I’m not saying that people are ‘making stuff up’, but it is a lot more difficult to prove misdeed without the physical proof–and sometimes the ‘truth’ can be bent depending on who has more power or influence.
One final comment, and this is not an excuse, but Dr. Montoya has his roots in a Latin culture with perhaps some different morays about interaction between the sexes. I’m sure he completely understood intellectually what was expected of him in an American university setting, but I do wonder if some of what was considered ‘acceptable’ from his past could have slipped past his new American ‘boundaries’.
It just seems to be getting closer and closer all the time. Last year the photojournalism community was rocked by the firing of one of NatGeo’s most prominent photo editors after a long history of sexual misconduct was revealed, and stories began to emerge about harassment and assault among photographers in the field as well. The community rued the fact that such an ostensibly noble enterprise was tainted with a scourge that had previously been the purview of entertainers and politicians. Now we have to face the fact that one of the most prominent researchers in the ME/CFS field has also been outed.
I’ve noticed that this kind of news tends to provoke two different species of disbelief: one, disbelief of the allegations, generally followed by accusations that the victims had ulterior motives or that there is some sort of conspiracy at work; and two, incredulity (and shock) that there are so many men (and some women) like this among us. I tend to experience the latter, but as more perpetrators have been outed my reaction has changed from shock to an almost resigned dismay, the same transformation of feeling I’ve experienced over the years as more stories of mass shootings appear in the news.
It’s a bitter irony that one of the most prominent advocates for greater awareness and research of a disease that has long suffered from public disbelief and victim-shaming should be dismissed on the grounds that he was complicit in the perpetration and perpetuation of a social disease whose victims have undergone a similar struggle to be heard and taken seriously.
Troubling as this news may be, and as much of a blow it may seem at the moment for ME/CFS research, Dr, Montoya’s dismissal marks one more painful step forward we are taking as a culture to address widespread sexual harassment, misconduct, and assault in every corner of society. And aside from losing Dr. Montoya as an eloquent and passionate spokesperson, I doubt that any greater repercussions against the community of ME/CFS advocates and researchers will follow. By now we should all have realized that no field of endeavor involving hierarchies of power is immune to abuse of such power.
It’s a bitter pill to swallow. I’ve lost respect for so many men over the past few years. But I do believe that the more light we shed on these long histories of misconduct, the more difficult it will become to tolerate, excuse, or hide such behavior.
Thank you Chris for stating it so eloquently,my feelings exactly. There is something so wrong with turning against victims when it takes all you’ve got to speak of the offensives that ones been through. It is the reason more women don’t come forward about harassment and assault is that they wont be believed.
Not sure this is bad or good. Speaking for my own experience, this clinic couldn’t give me any decisive diagnosis to be related to CFS symptom. The treatment was to blanketly apply antiviral medicine and didn’t admit it might not be effective for a certain patient after long period of use without showing any improvement. I stopped it after talking to my PCP. Advocate has to have scientific basis. Otherwise it is disservice.
Interesting optics for Stanford, given they are one of the Universities under Federal investigation right now for Admissions fraud, including bribery. I wonder how old these allegations are? And why they are coming forward at this time.
How sad for everyone involved. I would like to hear Dr Montoya’s response, or apology, he owes this community some kind of explanation.
Cort, I am very sorry that you had to veer away from your usual writing about the prospects of hope for us. I’m also very sorry for Ron Davis. He is working so hard for answers. To have this happen in his backyard must be particularly disappointing.
Thank you, Cort for your courage in writing this article and clearly it takes courage to put yourself out, as evidenced by some of the responses. Purely intuitively, my first thought was the victims might not have spoken up earlier partly out of fear of harming the cause of ME/CFS. In any case, thanks to those who spoke up, any corroborating witnesses and the university officials who made the final decision. It takes more courage, obviously than many people can fathom to confront the powerful. Thank you on behalf of all of us in society. We are all victims in many ways when anyone is preyed upon.
This reply was meant to be in the main body of replies, rather than as a reply to the above comment by Susan.
I was wait listed for 5 years to get in to the Stanford clinic. Finally another Stanford doctor referred me and I was given an appointment 6 months out. A few weeks before my November appointment I received a letter stating that the female nurse practitioner who did intakes for the clinic had quit. The letter did not mention hiring a replacement or any recourse for being seen at the clinic. The dire lack of physicians working with CFS/ME in the area and especially those accepting insurance makes this an especially disappointing development for patients. Cort please keep us updated on any news of the clinics reorganization.
My first thought last night was say it isn’t so. The fact that they fired him makes me think that they had some physical evidence (emails, texts or audio recordings) that clearly showed a repeated pattern of inappropriate behavior. One often wonders how things get to this point but often these things don’t come out of the blue, they have been going on for awhile and simply do not get addressed by the people in charge, even when they are complaints. UC Berkeley, another prominent university which is near by, has also had several cases in the last few years in which professors have been fired or resigned due to sexual misconduct that students and co-workers, but not the public, had known about for years. So maybe the fact that someone could be a pillar of the community publicly while behaving this way privately at work should not be that surprising. https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/uc-berkeley-fires-professor-accused-of-harassing-students/118648
The cure for ME will never be found. Science and the whole western civilisation will be destroyed by feminazism, medieval islam, cultural marxism, genderism etc. I lived a substantial part of my life in communist Czechoslovakia and I can tell you that new totalitarianism is approaching, this time an extremely anti–scientific one. I hope that at least China will continue to carry the torch of scientific inquiry and civilisation.
Seriously? You just said “FEMINAZISM”? Get the hell out of here. There are victims in all of this… Patients, research, the ME Community, employees, colleagues who all lost in this. Show some respect. You sound like an Alex Jones devotee.
Ditto that Aniela Jadwiga
Yes, I wrote “feminazism” and although English is a foreign language for me I like this word. metoo is just a part of this feminazist infatuation. Fortunately I still live in a relatively free country where women enjoy being slapped on their buttock by their male coworkers etc. I have had serious form of ME for 21 years, the suffering of milions others like me is more than some feeling of some hysterical feminazist who thinks she may be “sexually assaulted”.
Radomil, I think its more likely that women put up with it. In countries where they are given the opportunity not to be slapped on the butts – they seem to invariably choose that option.
Thank you, Cort for your courage in writing this article and clearly it takes courage to put yourself out, as evidenced by some of these responses. Purely intuitively, my first thought was the victims might not have spoken up earlier in part out of fear of harming the cause of ME/CFS. In any case, my thanks to those who spoke up, any corroborating witnesses and the officials who made the final decision. It takes more courage, obviously than some people can fathom to confront the powerful. Thank you on behalf of all of us in society. We are all victims in many ways when anyone is preyed upon.
Although terribly upset by this news, I think I will wait until we hear from Dr. Montoya and/or get more detailed information before passing judgment on him. I find it interesting to note that whatever type of overtures Dr. Montoya has made to fellow employees, however inappropriate in kind and even more so if they were his subordinates, there is no indication at this point that he approached patients for sex. Patients would be the most vulnerable to him because we were all so grateful for his kindness and compassion toward us after being abused by other doctors in the past, albeit not sexually. I also find it hard to believe that Dr. Montoya, whatever mistakes he has made in approaching women, would be capable of assaulting anyone. So I await more findings, withholding judgment, until more is known.
So you think that employees are not vulnerable just because they are less vulnerable than patients? Holy cow, that is disturbing. And how much proof is sufficient for you? Do you know how hard it is for women to be seen as credible in sexual assault and harassment cases?
What frustrates me about the disbelieving comments on his thread is that the sexism that makes people not listen to ME patients, that makes people disbelieve our medical suffering, is the VERY SAME SEXISM that makes people disbelieve sexual assault survivors. Women are not viewed as credible while important males – doctors, judges, priests, famous actors, etc. – are automatically believed. If you don’t see the connections here then you will never understand why doctors and the public scorn our claims of illness.
“the sexism that makes people not listen to ME patients, that makes people disbelieve our medical suffering is the VERY SAME SEXISM”
Allow me to state clear and loud that I am a male and both (a significant part of) male and female doctors and other medical staff have been abusive towards me as an ME patient up to an extreme point.
The worst offender by far was a female psychologist that, if it were up to me, would have lost her license to practice her job immediately due to the extreme level of psychological abuse. I never thought that about any other medical staff I saw before or after what she repeatedly did. I had few choice but to undergo said abuse if I were not to risk losing insurance due to “demonstrate” to be “unwilling to do an effort to get better”. And I needed insurance badly.
So please get a clue and realize your statements and similar ones from others are VERY sexist in nature themselves. They are offending towards plenty of male patients. As if our suffering is less and as if we are more believed to be really sick.
I could just as easy say that male patients have a harder time to be believed as a male “giving up” is often seen as either a weakling, a loser or a coward. But I don’t.
Perception is for both of us very harsh. The disease is for both of us very hard. Disbelieving that is an offense to any severe patient, not only male patients.
The disease can get as bad for males as for females. If you doubt so look at Whitney Dafoe’s case. Disbelieving the seriousness of ME as an illness is equally widespread among men and women. Remember women are a bit over half of society. Over half of all doctors are female in near all developed countries. Going to a female doctor doesn’t help a single bit on average in acceptance and understanding for ME.
I’m really sorry that there are those of you that seem to have embraced victim hood so deeply. I’m sure that most men with Cfs have experienced some level of doubt about their illness from family, professionals, and friends. It’s not sexism that makes the above sometimes doubt us, it’s the lack of a biomarker. Let’s focus on what we can all do as a group and individually to find a biomarker.
Lori thank you for stating the obvious. Most disturbing are the posts from females not believing their victimized females. Oh let’s give another monster the benefit of the doubt?
Agree.
I am in total shock! While I have never gotten into one of Dr. Montoya’s trials, I have followed his work for years. He seems like such a compassionate man, so well spoken, so intelligent, and someone who would never do this. I feel such a loss for the ME/CFS community, as his work was outstanding, and he seemed to deeply care at how sick we are.
I do, however, thank Standford, for taking such quick action on this and hope the trut prevails. It will be very hard to replace Dr. Montoya, just as it was for Solve ME/CFS to replace their Scientific Director who left. I am in doubt on this, but if thi sis true, I am deeply sorry that any female had to experience this kind of behavior.
hi a person who harasses, does not just start doing that when he/she is famous As a minority woman, I have many stories I kept to myself, not to damage my reputation and be headaches for the next company to hire me. But I still think this was a case of competition.
Very, very sad – and unfortunate for the ME/CFS community, as well as Dr. Montoya. I don’t know if doctors are even more susceptible than other men in positions of power; there are therapists who specialize in doctor/patient relationships (sexual, boundaries) and that can’t be an accident. My own hope is that if all the allegations are true, and aren’t contested, that Dr. Montoya gets the expert counseling that is becoming more expert and respected and the need for which is becoming more acknowledged; and accepted. There are usually two sides to a coin. Our greatest people, men and women, have their deep faults. And so do our people of non-extraordinary talent. Are we going to condemn them, and reach a hand out to them…especially at this close of Ramadan, I would hope the latter. At the same time, I am deeply sorry for the women who were abused. We have to address this problem more seriously in our society; I say that as a girlie sign just went up at a new bar in our neighborhood, even in the context of the Me Too movement. Thank you, Cort, for your sensitive reporting.
He should go to jail, not counseling. What you are missing is the harm he has done to ALL of us with his abuse. He has hurt you and me and every ME patient. His research is, at best, disrupted, and, at worst, ended or discredited. His patients are suddenly without a doctor! His behavior did this. Nothing else. His choices. And the women he violated are suffering the most. He belongs in jail. Do not mourn for him, be angry!
Lori,
I just do not agree….we have enough people in jail in our society…we need more effective ways to help abusers…and since we do not know exactly what happened..and why, I refuse to be judge. I feel terrible we have lost an important person in our CFS/ME, and I hope they find more effective ways to help people that sexually harass…and hurt others, and more effective ways in society to help all victims.
Since when did you become the Judge in this Case? Were you there did you see this happen? What if these accusations were False or a personal vendetta?
As a victim of false allegations that I was eventually vindicated from due to CCTV (thank god!) So I won’t be believing these allegations until there’s actual video proof. The #Metoo movement is just a trendy version of old fashioned witch-hunts, but on men instead. Another difference is it’s easier in this modern age to get a bunch of men haters together to lodge false allegations, especially university students keen to seek attention, and freshly bitter after a short education in gender studies.
Let’s not forget one of the founders of #metoo had sexual misconduct allegations herself, paying hush money to her victim.
I’m not saying real sexual assaults aren’t common either, but I’m definitely not jumping on the ‘he’s guilty’ band wagon until I see concrete proof.
What saddens me about #metoo is its disingenuous to actual sexual harassment and assault victims (of which I was as a young teenager)
I’ve been on both sides of this issue and believe me, often both sides lie. I remember a close friend being encouraged to embellish the facts against her perpetrator, turning ‘harassment ‘ into ‘assault’ which are two very different things. She refused to do that.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/20/entertainment/asia-argento-alleged-assault-settlement/index.html
So, ok, get vengeance and justice, if that is what it seems to send someone to prison; but also get rehabilitation, counseling. The problems are not one person, and are not going to be corrected by sending this person and that person to a punitive situation. IMHO, the problems have to be solved at a much more basic level: the way women are viewed in this society, the very degrading way — and the ways in which both men And, I am alarmed to say, also women, are trained to see women in this degraded way and to accept it.
PS So I should give some suggestion as to how to do that, changed the way women are viewed in a degrading way that both men and women accept. Big job, and several routes to it. One is to chip away, sign by sign, at the girlie signs outside bars in our neighborhoods. Little way, but chipping away adds up. Another is that Dr. Montoya actually gives us a case to explore and use to heighten awareness and understanding (and of course, justice and punishment — and please, for me, counseling — can go on at the same time); another is Me Too; another is responses like that from Roy. I think Dr. Montoya’s case shows us that our research needs as ME/CFS patients is not insulated from what is going on in the greater society. We All might be able to figure out a way to make some good out of this.
I am a tenured professor at a US research university and the spouse of someone with very severe CFS. Here is what I know: It is very, very, very difficult for a university of Stanford’s caliber to terminate a tenured professor without very concrete and persuasive evidence. Those difficulties have not changed in the wake of the #metoo movement, although universities have been more proactive about removing people accused of misconduct from the classroom and from supervisory positions. But to entirely terminate a tenured professor remains a very difficult process that requires more than one or two people simply reporting something uncorroborated.
For all of us deeply concerned about the continued success of CFS research and quality care for CFS patients, it’s important to remember that If Dr. Montoya harassed or assaulted members of his staff, those attacks were against people who cared deeply about patients with CFS and who cared about the state of CFS research. Sexual harassers in research settings do an excellent job of driving women out of their fields, essentially reducing the number of available brains to work on a problem by 50%. CFS is too serious of a problem for us to be leaving it entirely to men (and the one or two “tough women who can take it.”) We need all hands on deck to attack this problem. Any CFS researcher who abuses females working on CFS is not an outstanding researcher or caregiver, full stop. They are working against us all.
Bravo Sara Maurer, well said.
And how do you know, Sara, if the behavior that made these women uncomfortable and thereby didn’t satisfy the university’s code of conduct was this Colombian doctors affectionate nature? This man has been my doctor for many years and I believe very strongly that had these women told him they were uncomfortable with his behavior or mannerisms he would have felt mortified to have intruded on their personal space. It seems from official statements that these women didn’t approach Dr Montoya before submitting an official complaint, but I do not know the details and refrain from making assumptions. I would like to caution however, anyone here making such assumptions that this man is guilty of assault and abuse and sexual advances as most of us define these terms. It could be that this persons nationality influences behavior that has been ill received in a different country and conservative setting. The Me Too movement has definitely influenced establishments like high profile universities in acting swiftly to avoid potential bad press and legal ramifications and to say otherwise is naive.
Shame! Shame on you, Mr. Johnson, for planting doubt of Mr. Montoya’s guilt and encouraging compassion because of his efforts to help those with ME/CFS. It does not matter what great things this man did or didn’t do. Sexual assault should never be tolerated. Period.
Sometimes people are fired without cause. Are you actually suggesting that he was not treated fairly and that there was NOT “a large group of women who have worked under Dr. Montoya [who] came forward with extensive allegations of sexual misconduct, assault and harassment”? Are you suggesting these women were lying? You have not presented any evidence to suggest that due process was not followed and that there is any reason to doubt his guilt. Instead, you give a lot of detail about his work in ME/CFS as if that should protect him. Are you suggesting that society should accept sexual assault of women – our daughters, our sisters, our coworkers – if it’s by otherwise nice guys who do nice things? Shame!
My recommendation is that this article be removed or that it be replaced with something like, Dr. Montoya, whom many of you know from the ME/CFS world was fired (not let go) amidst an investigation of sexual assault.
I think I said several times that he was terminated from his position because of the investigation and I pointed out this was the harshest penalty the University could levy and that they reported that they went through a lengthy investigative process.
Dr. Montoya also did many good works and that’s part of the picture of this unfortunate story – that things like this can even occur with someone who otherwise has done good works.
Cort wrote nothing of the kind.
He reported the facts of a newsworthy event that affects the ME community, and in so doing, put Dr. Montoya’s work into the context of its significance to ME research and advocacy.
NOPE this is clearly a SLANTED unbalanced repot without doing the reseacrh on how many of these accussatiosn are false and need 50.1 % evidence in addition to the flaws in the process! terrible article!
Cort’s article is excellent, full and complete and fair-minded. I doubt we’ll get another report as thoughtful and well-done as this one. As always, so many thanks to Cort for this kind of work.
All I can say to your comment jane, is I’d hate for most of the people on this site to be on a jury! without any details or explanations of what actually happened or how the university is even defining these terms of “abuse, assault” etc, people have jumped to a guilty verdict of something they imagine in their mind. I stand with women everywhere, I support the Me Too movement but I am a patient of this man for many years and it’s going to take some information other that what we have to tear him apart like this. I am not betraying these women by reserving judgement until i have more information. we simply cannot know what happened if we have not even been informed of the act of abuse that Dr Montoya allegedly committed and heard his side of it.
hi Lily, you are lucky to have access to a person who has dedicated his life to a cause that he does not even know first hand what it feels like. Does he still practice, and sees new patients? Does he have his own clinic or office?
For what is worth, thank him for those of us who really appreciate what he did for us. Helping put this slow death on the map, in the USA. For in Europe it is largely believed to be a depression. U have no idea how much that hurts.
This is tragic news–because of all the great minds and providers in ME/CFS research and clinical care we no doubt lost from the abusive working conditions that went on for who knows how long. Is it years? Decades? That people who could have been working to care for us may instead have been driven out of the field–maybe out of medicine altogether–because of what they went through. As an academic, I see it constantly. As a patient who still waiting ever to get to see an ME specialist, anywhere, I am absolutely furious at the thought that the ranks of young, upcoming providers and researchers may have been depleted by abuse. THANK YOU to the brave women who came forward to stop that from happening any longer, at what I know must have been a huge personal cost. As it is very near impossible to fire a tenured faculty member, what they brought to the investigation must have been very, very grim.
> Here is what I know: It is very, very, very difficult for a university of Stanford’s caliber to terminate a tenured professor without very concrete and persuasive evidence.
Although we don’t know exactly what happened with Dr. Montoya because we have not been provided with any details, there are other cases from high-caliber universities where highly respected tenured professors have been terminated that may be relevant to consider, if we are going to make assumptions about what must have happened on the mere fact of Stanford’s decision to terminate.
Here’s one such case study that includes detailed accusations and in which the individual (a highly respected, tenured professor at a prestigious school) did end up being terminated, for instance.
https://dailynorthwestern.com/2018/03/15/lateststories/19-more-women-accuse-medill-prof-alec-klein-of-inappropriate-behavior/
Whether this particular professor should have been fired, or perhaps instead reprimanded in some other way, is a matter of opinion.
But with regard to Dr. Montoya, I think it may be worthwhile to keep in mind that whatever we are talking about may have been much less overtly egregious than some people here (such as those who are suggesting that he should be in jail) are assuming that they would have had to have been in order for him to have been fired.
This especially seems relevant since Dr. Montoya is from a Latin American country where different social standards may apply – that is, where people may routinely be more physically affectionate with others, or where they may stand closer to others than is the case in the U.S., or when men and women may be more likely to be casually flirtatious without either party intending for it to be taken seriously.
So it seems that, based on what we know, there are a range of possibilities that could have happened in this situation, and it is impossible to even make a guess without further information.
Because when you look at the facts of some of these cases, they end up looking lot less black-and-white in terms of what happened than a lot of people seem to be assuming they must be for people to be getting fired over them.
I think Dr. Montoya’s upbringing in a Latin country with different social mores could very well play a significant role in what happened.
I want to point out that as Jennie Spotila noted in her excellent blog that there are several reasons that Stanford could not have taken this move lightly – one of them being that terminating Dr. Montoya unjustly would leave them open to a huge lawsuit and major embarrassment if the court ruled in Dr. Montoya’s favor.
On the other hand, not dealing with him appropriately leaves them open to a lawsuit from those accused!
Dr. Montoya’s termination must have been something that was heavily considered and I imagine at the highest levels of the University.
“Dr. Montoya’s termination must have been something that was heavily considered and I imagine at the highest levels of the University.”
In an organization I worked in a friendly and good working man was pre-arrested for alleged sexual crimes. Pre-arrested in the meaning that there were sufficient indications crimes were committed to warrant further investigation and temporary lock the person up in jail.
The news hit like a bombshell. While nobody ever ever wants that to happen, the organization managed to deal with it in a good way. Two things helped with that a lot:
1) The police arrested him and conducted an official investigation. That leaves the matter into trained hands and into the hands of people who have the power to do extensive investigations like searching his house, computers, belongings…
2) The organization had a good procedure for determining when a person had to be put on temporary suspension, dismissal… for a wide range of occasions.
If those two things weren’t in place, it would have been utter chaos and panic in the organization. Emotions among staff ran very high. Opinions on what should happen varied widely and animated discussion between staff were common.
Emotions and discussion only settled after justice had found the man guilty and imposed a prison sentence. Nobody afterwards argued about guild or innocence, there was very few argument if the sentence was correct.
Apparently the animated discussions before were not about weather the allegations were true or false or what was or wasn’t acceptable or about how bad the crimes were, but about weather to judge the person (and with it the claiming victims) directly on the news or to await further and more substantiated information and a court decision.
To get back to the original comment: a prepared organization can take a heavily considered decision. An ill prepared organization (including an organization that got away with ignoring the problems in the past) can be shaken up and be that much in panic that decisions are the result of panic, making it fall strongly either one or another way on the fall of a dice.
You sure are wright about it being decided on the highest level weather the organization is prepared for such cases or not.
Excuses excuses just more BS
Thank you, Ann for your measured response and reserved judgment of this situation. It is reassuring that there are some people who realize we don’t have all the facts and cannot fairly pass judgment on the situation other than to say it’s shocking and sad for all involved.
this is a terrible job of unbalanced reporting.
NO EFFORT is made to address the many document issues with universities acting like courts. and the lack of DUE PROCESS. There are other statistics and rezeacrh that challenge the ones you posted. Lack of reseacrh in a major story like this is inexcusable. Stanford’s harsh decision without due process WILL effect the lives of millions of ME sufferers…
Stanford’s decision to levy the harshest penalty, when it could have chosen much less, as well as the report that many allegations involving multiple people were involved suggests this was not a he said she said case. It bears notice as well that Dr Montoya has not asserted his innocence.
If he does appeal his termination that, of course, will be fully covered.
“Lack of reseacrh in a major story like this is inexcusable.”
With Cort having a moderate case of ME, which in regular terms is a serious case of chronic mind debilitating illness, I think it’s amazing what Cort can get done for our community. Thanks a lot for that Cort!
But I do agree that the amount of facts could be higher. To start with: is it officially confirmed and if so by whom that the Dr. is indeed fired or is he on temporary suspension until a final verdict is reached? Is it the first time such case is handled at Stanford or do the members of the board have education and experience in handling such matters?
But this work isn’t up to Cort or any other person with a crippling disease to do. It says more about the lack of reporting or research journalism in the regular press that could have Cort just put up a link to a reputable newspaper. The lack of such is telling a lot of either the premature state of the reported facts or the lack of interest of general newspapers to research and report on such cases.
As a side: in order to improve both credibility of sexual misconduct victims and to improve the rights of potential innocent accused it would be better if in the future:
* There would be some sort of standardization in extend and wording of internal documents of conduct. There is no need for a one size fit all approach but certain standard texts with a certain level of strictness needed by each organization or standard worded clauses would increase legal position of victim and accused. For example clauses how the rights and names of victims are protected and the procedural steps describing the following decision process.
* Large organizations would do well to have in place a permanent contract with an external specialized organizations to deal with handling such cases. It improves protection of anonymity of victims, quality of evidence gathering and decreases doubt over the process towards the outside world. For example on a university plenty does depend on who is in the comity. If someone working on PR or funding sits in the comity then the decision may either get a strong pull towards cover up or firing the accused as fast as possible in order to appear to take the matter very serious. A professor at the beginning of his/her career may feel much more compelled to take a firm decision either way to prove his/her worth then a professor near retirement who does not feel the need to prove his/her worth anymore.
All of this is separated from the question: what exactly happened in this case. It would only increase credibility, ability of the public to estimate the exact extent of the misconduct and juridical safety of all involved in the case.
Knowing the exact extent (level of misconduct) and communicate it to the outside world is important IMO. Being able to communicate “fired because of a class 3 sexual offense” for example makes a difference between “fired for rape” and “fired because the person crossed the border of acceptable speech once too often”. Both are unacceptable but the distinction is huge.
Improving the juridical safety of all involved in the case isn’t an attempt to get lawyers bail perpetrators out. In fact it leaves less leeway for lawyers to color the case. It increases safety for victims knowing how the case well be handled, increasing reporting cases. It increases safety for accused as being falsely accused is sadly a (very hard to prove and under-reported) fact of life.
Well said, dejurgen. Clearer guidelines for conduct, more transparency and accountability, arbitration by independent organizations. It seems so logical. With luck we will someday soon get to a place where our politicians can sit down and enshrine such a process in law, if they can stop breathing partisan fire at each other and try to get something done. Unfortunately, the movement has sparked a sniping backlash in conservative media (and consequently the right in general) and so what should be a matter of grave public concern has become just one more political football. Until we find a way to tamp down the partisan inflammation that has infected our government, we should petition the organizations themselves — the corporations, universities, media outlets — to implement their own standards. Stanford should take this opportunity to lead by example, and we ought to encourage the university to do so. I’ll sign a petition if anyone wants to write it!
Placing Health Rising into the same category as, say, a New York Times investigations department, is flattering — and a fair comparison regarding quality of reporting. And Cort is an excellent journalist with integrity.
However, launching a full investigation into the matter, including the veracity of the claims is not in the scope of Health Rising’s mandate (nor budget), as it might be with the New York Times.
Montoya promised much but under delivered in my opinion.
I’m sure it wasn’t for want of trying.
But like many researchers he was barking up the totally wrong tree from the start, looking at viruses.
Viruses might be one trigger for CFS, but it’s been pretty obvious for more than 15 years that they do not perpetuate CFS.
Thank you, Cort, for such a professional and balanced reporting of what is known. You write very well, and I have come to trust your perspective on many issues. This is another where you showed your ability to document all sides of the issue, as they are currently known. And I appreciated your research into supporting and related issues that you included in your piece. You will, one day, win awards for your writing and advocacy on behalf of the ME community. Thank you!
Thank you, Cort. Good article under difficult circumstances. As a lawyer who started investigating sexual harassment cases in the 1970’s, the range of behavior that can constitute sexual harassment is very wide. I am concerned that lately there seems to be no recognition of degrees of sexual harassment, not that it is ever appropriate, but the sanctions should be equivalent to the egregiousness of the conduct. That said, I agree that meeting someone who seems like a fine person is no measure of whether he or she is capable of harassing someone. People conduct themselves differently with different people and circumstances.
Cort is not to be blamed for not having more information about the allegations and accusers, as the University most likely is not releasing more information because this is a personnel matter and there may have been agreements not to release information about those who made the allegations, often made to get people to come forward.
Good job, Cort, as usual. I don’t know how you manage to do your fine reporting.
We can all hope that this does not set back the ME/CFS research at this institution or elsewhere, and that Dr. Montoya receives justice, whatever that may be, given the probable lack of due process and confrontation in the academic process of termination. I’m not saying he’s innocent, just that there is much we do not know. However, what we do know suggests a pattern that is not good.
How could he have been so stupid? Did he think his behavior would go ignored?? I can’t say I’m surprised. Enough well known and accomplished men hit on me, bosses and colleagues, during my working years before ME/CFS.
I have been involved with controversial national issues for 37 years and have seen doctors and researchers ruined when they got too close to some inconvenient truths.
I have also seen incredibly inaccurate reporting by even the major media that no one ever challenges.
If you read the report above carefully, you will notice some troubling inconsistencies.
Why did a student newspaper break this story of a national researcher’s alleged wrongdoings? Who monitors the accuracy of their reporting?
Every university has an HR department. Why didn’t any of the women making these allegations go to the HR department to file reports during Dr. Montoya’s 11 years at Stanford. If they did, why didn’t Stanford take action long ago?
Why was an unnamed member of the faculty selected to investigate such serious charges? What experience would a university professor have in investigating charges like these? Universities are microcosms of jealousy and infighting.
Stanford claimed that Dr. Montoya violated university policies? What were these policies? It is again an “unnamed” source who escalated these to soliciting sexual misconduct, sexual assault and harassment. If these allegations were true, Dr. Montoya would be arrested. Sexual assault is a felony.
Finally, before you rush to judgment, you should read Plague by Dr. Judy Mikovitz to see what can happen to a researcher who refuses to back down.
This is not an unnamed source – the ultimate source is Dr. Singh – the head of the Infectious diseases department – who reported to Dept employees apparently that Dr. Montoya’s employment had been terminated following an investigation. As you will see below a University spokesman has also provided confirmation.
https://www.stanforddaily.com/2019/06/04/sexual-harassment-misconduct-behind-medicine-professors-dismissal/
“The former ME/CFS Initiative member was notified of the investigation’s outcome in an email sent on May 30, the same day Montoya’s termination was shared in a May 30 email from Stanford Medicine’s Infectious Diseases Division chief Upinder Singh to all division employees. Singh’s email did not specify the nature of Montoya’s conduct violations.”
On June 4th Science reported that a University told them the following:
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/06/chronic-fatigue-scientist-fired-after-conduct-complaints-stanford-says
I have to tell you that after covering Dr. Mikovits during the XMRV situation I would question every word that comes out of her mouth. The fact that the WPI is still standing after her leadership during that time is utterly astonishing.
Cort,
Thank you for reporting on this. Personally, losing an important researcher in the CFS/ME field is distressing but having experienced various types of harassment in my working life, I am not surprised. We are always disappointed when people we look up to are found wanting but maybe, some of these women who finally had enough will be the ones who end up helping us the most.
Hopefully the investigation was fair and we’ll see if Montoya challenges his firing. Other researchers can still build on his work. He shouldn’t lose his license to practice unless the charges extended to patients and any new patients can choose whether or not they want to use his services. Actions have consequences.
I sincerely appreciate your attempts to report this fairly and am sorry that you’ve been attacked for reporting it.
Betty, interesting points!
Betty, one possible reason for inconsistencies is the fact that Stanford is under Federal investigation at the moment for admissions fraud and bribery. So interesting optics, interesting timing, and I totally agree with you. This sounds like a long-standing problem, why was it not dealt with before Stanford was under the microscope for ethics violations? And also agree, we can not make assumptions they are doing the right things. Are charges going to be filed? Too many questions, although it is pretty clear some bad things happened and he needed to be stopped. But Stanford is not handling this well and I think someone owes the patient community some explanation.
Mikovitz’s work could never be replicated it was contamination found in the lab
Cort, I admire your balanced reporting. Please don’t let people attacking you stop you from doing what you do so well.
With that said, I have a request – please close comments on this blog, as they have started to become toxic. Many Facebook groups do this, when a point is reached where there is nothing constructive being added to the discussion. This discussion has veered way off from ME/CFS.
Here here Cort. You do your job well and we all appreciate you!
Where I come from we are taught to ‘speak as you find’. I have always found Dr Jose Montoya to a first rate doctor, a powerful motivator of his patients and a first rate human being. The extent of the positive impact he has had on our family is immeasurable. His departure from the world of ME/CFS, as doctor, researcher and advocate will be an unspeakable tragedy. Stanford should rather seek to facilitate a solution to the real and perceived issues that will enable a man of his ability to continue to serve a group of people whose invisible illness devastates lives. This action will do nothing to help them.I would ask his accusers to think of that and be sure that he and his patients deserve it.
Thanks for portraying your experience of Dr. Montoya.
No matter what the circumstances were here in this Case investigation Stop jumping to any conclusions & also keep in mind until these accusations are passed through
the system if it goes to Court he has the right to Defend himself so until that happens do not Judge him or the people involved until the process is completed especially on
Social platforms he & they have the right to a Court process. He has the right to this so do the others…I was not there, either were any of you
That seems like a wise thing to say. However, if I am not mistaken Stanford’s action in dismissing him means that our daughter who is ill, is now unable to meet with the only man we have met in 12 years of searching who has been able to help her.
Stanford’s statement of support for ME/CFS patients is on this website:
https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-clinics/infectious-disease-clinic.html
This is very distressing and disheartening news. For those existing fellow patients who’ve contacted the clinic and been provided with alternatives for continued treatment at Stanford, I would certainly appreciate hearing what you’ve learned. I will be trying to reach the clinic next week. I’ve always been able to see Dr. Montoya during my 4 years of treatment, and once saw Amity Hall.
What sad, sad news.
Provided to Health Rising
From Dr. Illianas
I was dismayed to learn about the recent news that Dr. José G. Montoya had been terminated because of violations of the code of conduct at Stanford University (https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/06/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-scientist-fired-after-conduct-complaints-stanford-says) including sexual harassment.
In my capacity, as bye president, Currently as President (In charge of) and Professor of Family Medicine at the Universidad del Valle (Univalle) in Cali, Colombia, I’m expressing my unqualified support for Dr. José Gilberto Montoya’s character and integrity. I have known Dr. Montoya for almost forty years.
Dr. Montoya graduated from the Universidad del Valle in 1985 with honors. He did his Internal Medicine Residency at Tulane University and then his post-doctoral fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Stanford University where he rose to full Professor.
Despite that Dr. Montoya graduated from Univalle 34 years ago, he continues to visit Cali where he frequently lectures and pursues research projects with several institutions in Colombia. Of out his more than 150 publications, he has made possible to publish results of his collaborations in Toxoplasmosis and Dengue in Cali in prestigious international journals (see below).
However, above anything else, what strikes me the most from knowing Dr. Montoya over almost four decades is his humility (despite of all his accomplishments as a true scholar) and his capacity to connecting to what makes us humans. I’ve seen Dr. Montoya saluting with the same warmth and respect, a driver, maid, janitor, the Major of the City of Cali, the Minister of Education of Colombia, or me. He has the capacity to connect with others and exhibits a natural affection for those around him but never with the intention of invading, disrespecting, or abusing others. In my many interactions with him, my observations of his interactions with others, and the hundreds of others telling me stories of his successes, it has never been brought to my attention of him sexually harassing or behaving inappropriately with anyone.
2019-06-18-35642-I
As a female President (In charge of) of a major Public University in Colombia and Professor of Family Medicine, I know how important is to make sure that all members of the institution be respected and not harassed. Given how well I have known Dr. Montoya; I respectfully hope that the process that led to his termination be looked at again.
Regards,
LILIANA ARIAS – CASTILLO, M.D.
Academic Vice – President and Professor of Family Medicine at the Universidad del Valle (Univalle) in Cali, Colombia
June 19, 2019
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing on behalf of the group of Colombian physicians listed below, medical school classmates and colleagues of Dr. Jose Gilberto Montoya. We wish to unwaveringly support Dr. Montoya in his defense against alleged personal misconduct at his workplace. To attest to the content of this letter, the members of this support group provide our personal contact information and (Colombian) national ID numbers.
We have known Dr. Montoya for the past 40 years, since our medical school days at the Universidad Del Valle, in Cali, Colombia. We have since maintained close contact with Dr. Montoya, including multiple encounters at individual and group meetings. Moreover, we have closely followed his outstanding professional career at Stanford, through which Dr. Montoya excelled and became a world authority in his field. Dr. Montoya, a role model for us all, is among the most pre-eminent Colombian medical doctors of his generation.
Above his professional qualities, we are first-hand witnesses of Dr. Montoya’s spotless personal and moral integrity, and his respect for other people. At all our personal and group encounters, his behavior has been without reproach. We look proudly at Dr. Montoya, a true leader and an inspiration to all those who know him closely. As a Faculty member for almost 3 decades, these human and professional attributes have surely been obvious to his students, subordinates and patients at Stanford. It is because of our close personal knowledge of Dr. Montoya, that we are shocked by the current allegations of misconduct made against him. We strongly believe that these accusations are most likely baseless and motivated by some misrepresentation or other unclear reasons, as they are simply not in line with the very well-established attributes of a man whom we have closely known and appreciated for most of our lives.
We respectfully request a meticulous, transparent re-evaluation of Dr. Montoya’s situation. At stake is the honor of a human being and Stanford’s prestigious reputation. We are convinced that such an honest, and thorough assessment, will demonstrate the senseless nature of the accusations against Dr. Montoya and restore his position as an honorable professional of impeccable character.
Sincerely,
William Bara-Jimenez, MD
ABPN & AANEM neurology diplomate
Bethesda, Maryland
(NAME, ID NUMBER, E-MAIL, PHONE NUMBER)
(Agobardo Arias, 16878476, Agobardo-arias@hotmail.com , 573155277082)
(Alberto Rosero, 12971898, albertolrosero@yahoo.com , 573206523868)
(Alejandro Agudelo, 16653121, agudeloayerbe2009@hotmail.com , 573155593485)
(Alfredo Paredes, 16618569, aparedesj@yahoo.com , 573104917585)
(Alvaro Arana, 16261026, Alvaroharana123@hotmail.com , 573206779626)
(Ana M. Navia, 31847102, milenavia@emcali.net.co , 573155779487)
(Antonio Quintero, 16651789, antonioequintero@gmail.com , 573155673412)
(Carlos A. Velasco, 16643480, carlos.velasco@correounivalle.edu.co , 573105034020)
(Carlos H. Libreros, 16636044, carloslibrerosbertini@hotmail.com , 573006520665)
(Carlos A. Hernandez, 14884807, chadez2882@hotmail.com , 573155204900)
(Carlos E. Parra, 13448218, ceparram@yahoo.es , 573153812526)
(Carlos Rebolledo, 16664046, crebolledo06@gmail.com , 573117068643)
(Carlos Robledo, 16641873, carlosrobledo3@hotmail.com 573173314046)
(Carlos V. Rosales, 16624795, carviros@gmail.com , 573175172218)
(Carmen L. Valdes, 31893276, carvaldesb@hotmail.com , 573154954800)
(Cecilia Zamorano, 31877041, cecyzamorano@yahoo.com , 573136571966)
(Clara H. Torres, 38439469, clara.torres@imbanaco.com.co , 573155422779)
(David Astudillo, 14989177, buffeteastudillooviedo@hotmail.com , 573116284027)
(Dagoberto Giraldo, 16208472, aljuanfe@yahoo.es , 573144730822)
(Didier Camacho, 14882425, didieredocamacho@gmail.com , 573166953092)
(Diego Marin, 16673547, dialmarin@gmail.com , 573165227691)
(Edgar Lozano, 16354058, Edgarlozanocruz@gmail.com , 573154764047)
(Eduardo Gil, 16643984, egiltraumadeportivo@gmail.com , 5731556940390)
(Elizabeth Montoya, 31865326, emontoyad@hotmail.com , 573006921177)
(Erik Casanova, 16619999, ee1casanova@yahoo.ES , 34626497105)
(Ernesto Martinez, 16683875, emarbui@gmail.com , 573164484799)
(Fabian Osorio, 16265503, fabian.osoriofl@gmail.com , 573155591619)
(Fernando Jimenez, 16348081, ferjimenez@nacer.mx , 527773273037)
(Fabio Iglesias, 16448502, fastiglesias@yahoo.com.ar , 573104321150)
(Francisco Herran, 16649861, fherranf@hotmail.com , 14074847350)
(Genaro Velez, 16259685, genarovelez57@hotmail.com , 573117811591)
(Guillermo Ramirez, 16650001, guilleramirezar@hotmail.com , 573207308807)
(Gustavo Charria, 16269116, gcharria@yahoo.com , 13054690959)
(Harold Castano, 10481155, hcastano19@ou.edu , 14054965151)
(Hector F. Cruz, 14877862, hcruz78@hotmail.com , 573154627659)
(Hernan Volveras, 16639273, Hernanvolveras64@hotmail.com , 573152870463)
(Hernan Yepes, 16652957, heryep@hotmail.com , 573104287721)
(Humberto Ossa, 16600494, Ho.munoz@hotmail.com , 573152856633)
(Isabel Piazuelo, 31877663, isapiazuelo@gmail.com , 573154476380)
(Ivan Lopez, 16261989, ivanenriquelo@hotmail.com , 573192940491)
(Jairo Argote, 19529650, Jagora999@gmail.com , 573164256141)
(Jairo Silva, 16256524, jascadena@gmail.com , 573155339468)
(Javier F. Moreno, 16355653, javmorenom@hotmail.com , 573108395833)
(Jorge E. Enciso, 19217085, Jorgenriquees.go@hotmail.com , 57315573895)
(Jose R. Navarro, 16638238, jrnavarrov@unal.edu.co , 573153338374)
(Juan C. Montoya, 16665688, jcmontoyar@hotmail.com , 15703155975)
(Juan C. Mosquera, 10481391, juancmos5@gmail.com , 573163655676)
(Juan C. Rengifo, 16665687, jcrengifo@gmail.com , 573043848138)
(Juan G. Posada, 16661173, podocito@hotmail.com , 573175858940)
(Juan P. Martinez, 16628119, martinezjuanp@hotmail.com , 573154476380)
(Ligia I. Vigoya, 31899750, liveal63@hotmail.com , 573152705946)
(Luis E. Giron, 16622947, gironcho@gmail.com , 573214021745)
(Luis F. Tobon, 16655497, ltobon4@gmail.com , 14072705925)
(Luz A. Casas, 31864461, luzangelacasas@hotmail.com , 573175102120)
(Maria A. Tovar, 31520630, Ana.tovar@correounivalle.edu.co , 573104096531)
(Maria F. Marin, 31869848, mfmarinb@hotmail.com , 57315528035)
(Martha Y. Echeverry, 31892509, marthayelenae@hotmail.com , 573175006249)
(Maximiliano Parra, 19113086, parra.maximiliano@gmail.com , 573117616398)
(Milciades Garcia, 16270371, milgarcia000@gmail.com , 573217462214)
(Miled Gomez, 16606515, miledgomez@hotmail.com , 573006822061)
(Nelson Ramirez, 12113786, nelsonramirez59@yahoo.com , 573153231245)
(Nelson Silva, 16644032, nrsilvah@hotmail.com , 573183365077)
(Nestor F. Collazos, 16632689, medicollazos@gmail.com , 56997467362)
(Noel Florez, 16666016, noelflorez@yahoo.com , 573162871194)
(Oscar Londono, 16625933, oscarlondono@gmail.com , 573128812761)
(Pedro P. Perea, 16642876, Pedroperea02@yahoo.com , 573015544377)
(Raul F. Argote, 16625427, dermargote@hotmail.com , 573165243506)
(Roxana Cobo, 31841044, rcobo@imbanaco.com.co , 573155598146)
(William Escobar, 10534091, wescobar@imbanaco.com.co , 573155766685)
(William Bara-Jimenez, 16265508, baraw@bethesdaneuro.com , 13015207142)
(William Jaramillo, 16351300, williamjaramillo2009@hotmail.com , 573165219575)
(Yordy E. Ulloa, 16668982, yordyulloa@hotmail.com , 573102528173)
Carta de la verguenza. … william jaramillo Gallego. usted sabe de que estoy hablando.
Dr. Montoya is getting a lot of support from his colleagues. Here is another long letter of support – this time from South American and American colleagues including some women.
(I apologize for the formatting: it was copied from a PDF sent to Health Rising.
June 25, 2019
To whom it may concern,
Re: Jose G. Montoya, MD
We, undersigned hereby former trainees and close colleagues in the United States, Latin America, and Europe, and members of the Colombian Association of Infectious
Diseases, want to express the highest level of support for Dr. Jose G. Montoya, whom we have known in his role of mentor, research collaborator, and personal friend.
We have been blessed to know Professor Montoya for 29 years, since his appointment in the faculty of the Division of Infectious Diseases, at Stanford University. In this capacity, we have closely worked alongside Dr. Montoya in clinical, research, and academic roles. Dr. Montoya is a role model for all of us in several aspects of our lives: as a master clinician in infectious diseases, as a renowned clinical investigator, and as a mentor.
Above all, we recognize Dr. Montoya as a peerless clinician. His humility, deep
understanding of medicine and the human condition, and his ability to empathize with patients when they are at their most vulnerable, are second to none.
Remarkably, Dr. Montoya’s expertise in toxoplasmosis has been crafted for several decades within his role of Medical Director of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation-
Toxoplasma Serology Laboratory (PAMF-TSL), positioning him as a worldwide expert in
the field of human toxoplasmosis. He has led several research projects aimed to mitigate the impact of this neglected disease in the US and the developing world. We have admired Dr. Montoya’s generosity and ceaseless pursuit of excellence in every aspect of his life.
As trainees and close colleagues, we are exceedingly familiar with his professional behavior and can say, without a doubt, that we have only observed and experienced Dr. Montoya uphold the highest standards known to our shared profession. Several of us here signing this letter, are women who work in several roles within academic medicine. We have never observed or experienced any lapse in his professional judgment. We have only known his warmth, kindness, and humble intelligence. We are extremely proud to have been mentored either or worked alongside Dr. Montoya and his guidance has been instrumental in helping us navigate the strains of academic medicine.
It is by emulating him that we have achieved professional success ourselves. We have seen Dr. Montoya’s devotion to patient care, dedication to research, and generosity as a teacher. Dr. Montoya’s contributions to the study of Infectious Diseases, Toxoplasmosis, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are unparalleled. The field of Infectious Diseases and academic medicine will suffer a great loss without Dr. Montoya’s continued contributions and his teaching print.
Please accept our unconditional support for Dr. Montoya based on our direct professional and personal relationship with him during which time we have never witnessed a breach in his conduct. It is our expectation that a thorough and detailed investigation will enable justice and truth to be reached.
Sincerely,
List of Signatories:
Dr. Christelle Pomares, MD, PhD
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice
Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie
Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Inserm U
1065
Hôpital de l’ARCHET
151, route de Saint Antoine de Ginestière
CS 23079 06202 Nice Cedex 3 France
Tel : 00.33.(0)4.92.03.62.54
Fax : 00.33.(0)4.92.03.62.58
pomares.c@chu-nice.fr
Professor Pomares has requested to include the following text in the body of this letter:
“I’m Christelle Pomares, Associate Professor in France working in a teaching hospital in Nice France. I spent two years as visiting scholar at Stanford University and Palo Alto Medical Foundation-Toxoplasma Serology Laboratory (PAMF-TSL), working with Pr.Montoya. In no situation have I ever felt any sexual misconduct, assault, or harassment.
Jose is an extremely great professor and researcher. He has been my mentor and friend since my stay in his team. I’ve been truly appreciate working at his side and in any situation never felt any trouble as a woman working with him. I give him my full truly support.
Sincerely,
Dr. Christelle Pomares, MD, PhD
You can call me at : +33607169564 if needed”
Carlos A Gomez MD
Assistant Professor
Division of Infectious Diseases
University of Utah School of Medicine
Salt Lake City, UT 84132
Phone (801) 213-0894
Infectious Diseases Fellow at Stanford
Research scholar at PAMF-TSL (2014-2018)
carlos.gomez@hsc.utah.edu
Pr Daniel AJZENBERG
Dr PhD –HDR
Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale,
Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie,
Faculté de Médecine,
Université de Limoges,
Limoges, 87025, France
Tél : 33 (0)5 55 05 61 60 (sec.)
Fax : 33 (0)5 55 05 62 27
ajz@unilim.fr
Pr Pierre Marty
Professeur des Universités-Praticien Hospitalier
Vice-Doyen de la Faculté de Médecine pour les Relations Internationales
Président Sous-section 45-02
Conseil National des Universités
Parasitologie-Mycologie
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice
Faculté de Médecine, Université de Nice-Sophia
Antipolis, Inserm U 1065
Hôpital de l’Archet
151, route de Saint Antoine de Ginestière
CS 23079 06202 Nice Cedex 3 France
Tel: 33 (0) 4 92 03 62 54, Fax: 33 (0) 4 92 03 62 58
E-mail: marty.p@chu-nice.fr
Despina Contopoulos-Ioannidis, MD
Clinical Associate Professor
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases
Stanford University School of Medicine
300 Pasteur Drive, Room G312
Stanford, CA, 94305
email: dcontop@stanford.edu
Andrés F. Henao-Martínez, MD.
Assistant Professor.
Infectious Diseases Division.
University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Director — Travel clinic, University of Colorado Hospital
12700 E. 19th Avenue. Mail Stop B168.
Aurora, CO 80045-2560.
Off: (720)-848-0820.
Pg: (303)-266-3554
Fax:(720)-848-0191
andres.henaomartinez@ucdenver.edu
Kiran Gajurel MD
Attending Physician
Division of Infectious Diseases
Carolinas Medical Center, Atrium Health , NC, USA
ID fellow at Stanford (2013-2015)
gajurelk@gmail.com
Reshika Dhakal, MD, MPH
Oncology Research Specialist
Levine Cancer Institute
Charlotte, NC, USA
Visiting scholar at PAMF-TSL, 2014-2015
rdhakal200@yahoo.com
Jorge Alberto Cortes, MD
Associate professor of Medicine
Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Visiting fellow (2000-2001)
Visiting professor (2014) at Stanford University
Phone +57 315-3514013
Bogota, Colombia
jacortesl@unal.edu.co
Ernesto Martínez Buitrago, MD
Infectious Diseases Specialist and Professor,
Hospital Universitario del Valle
Universidad del Valle
Cali, Colombia
cel: +57 3164484799
eMail: emarbui@gmail.com
Carlos Arturo Alvarez-Moreno. MD MSc PHD FIDSA
Past President, Colombian Infectious Diseases Association (ACIN)
Professor of Medicine at Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
Bogota, Colombia
caalvarezmo@unal.edu.co
Prof. François Peyron
Professor Université de Lyon
Hospices Civils de Lyon
(Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lyon) |
CHU Lyon · Laboratoire de Parasitologie Digestive
et Cutanées Sérologies Parasitaires Toxoplasmose
Lyon, France
francois.peyron@chu-lyon.fr
Sandra L. Valderrama, MD
Vice President,
Colombian Infectious Diseases Association (ACIN)
Infectious Diseases Unit Chief,
Hospital Universitario San Ignacio.
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
Bogota, Colombia
sandra.valderrama@gmail.com
Federico Perez, MD, MS
Associate Professor of Medicine,
Case Western Reserve University,
Program Director, Infectious Diseases fellowship,
University Hospitals,
Cleveland, Ohio
Federico.Perez@va.gov
Sonia Isabel Cuervo Maldonado, MD, MSc
Infectious Diseases Specialist
Professor of Medicine,
Facultad de Medicina
Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Grupo de Infectología Instituto Nacional de
Cancerología – ESE
Leader research group GREICAH.
Bogota, Colombia
sicuervom@unal.edu.co
Pr Marie-Laure Dardé
National Reference Center for Toxoplasmosis – France
Parasitology Department
Universitary Hospital
Limoges – France
e-mail: marie-laure.darde@unilim.fr
Pablo Andrés Moncada MD
Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine specialist
Program Director, Internal Medicine residency training program
Icesi/CES
Fundacion Valle del Lili
Cali, Colombia
drpmoncada@gmail.com
Pr Isabelle Villena
Head of Laboratory of Parasitology-Mycology, Hospital Reims,
Adjoint to Chief of Pôle Biology, Reims
Head of Team EA ESCAPE in University of Reims Champagne -Ardenne,
Head of National Reference Centre on Toxoplasmosis in France
Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, EA 7510, UFR Médecine
51 rue Cognacq Jay, 51095 Reims Cedex
Tel : 33 (0) 3 26 78 42 20 – Fax : 33 (0) 3 26 78 73 28
Email: ivillena@chu-reims.fr
Florence ROBERT-GANGNEUX
Professeur des Universités – Praticien Hospitalier
Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie
Faculté de Médecine et Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Rennes
INSERM U1085-IRSET, Université Rennes 1
RENNES, France
tel. +33 (0)2.23.23.44.99 ou +33 (0)2.99.28.42.68
florence.robert-gangneux@univ-rennes1.fr
Luis Gabriel Uribe, MD, FACP
MEDICAL DIRECTOR:
Kenner and La Place Dialysis Centers.
EX CHIEF OF STAFF:
Kindred Hospital,
St Charles General Hospital and
Ochsner Kenner Hospital
Manager Partner Kidney Consultants.
200 W. Esplanade Suite 103
Phone 504-464-8711
Fax:504-464-8711
Luribe1@cox.net
Dr. Liliana Arias-Castillo, MD
Academic Vice-President
President in Charge,
Universidad del Valle
Cali-Colombia
rector@correounivalle.edu.co
-Attached, please find official statement from presidency office, Universidad del Valle.
Robert W. Shafer, MD
Professor of Medicine and by courtesy Pathology
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine
Stanford University
Stanford, CA, USA
rshafer@stanford.edu
Pr Martine Wallon, MD, MPH, PhD
Head of the Parasitology and Medical Mycology Department
Lyon Teaching Hospital – University Claude Bernard Lyon 1
Tel. 00 33 4 72 00 37 44/00 33 4 72 07 11 44
martine.wallon@chu-lyon.fr
Daniel Shin MD
Infectiosu Diseases
Palo Alto Medical Foundation
Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group
Sutter Medical Network
Mountain View, CA 94040
650-934-7599
Daniel_Shin@elcaminohealth.org
Sebastian Ochoa MD
Clinical Fellow,
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH
Bethesda, MD
sebastian8a2000@gmail.com
Peter M. Small, M.D.
Founding Director,
Stony Brook Global Health Institute
Stony Brook, NY 11794
pspetersmall@gmail.com
Fernando Rosso, MD, MSc.
Infectious Diseases Service . Department of Medicine.
Director. Clinical Research Center .
Fundación Valle de Lili
Cali – Colombia
Associated Clinical Professor
Faculty of Health Sciences
Universidad Icesi
Cali – Colombia
frosso07@gmail.com
Prof. Valeria Meroni
Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Terapia Medica
Università di Pavia
Sc Microbiologia e Virologia
Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo
Vle Taramelli 5 Pavia 27100, Italy
Tel: 0382502631
V.Meroni@smatteo.pv.it
Carlos Humberto Saavedra Trujillo MD
Associate Professor
Post-graduate Infectious Diseases Coordinator
School of Medicine
Universidad Nacional De Colombia
Bogota, Colombia
chsaavedrat@unal.edu.co
Luis Guillermo Uribe R. MD
Internist and Infectious Diseases specialist
Chief of Infectious Diseases,
Hospital Internacional de Colombia –
Fundación Cardiovascular de Colombia
Bucaramanga, Colombia
Visiting fellow at Stanford ICHS
PAMF-TSL September 2012- May 2013
luisuribe@fcv.org
Pío López, MD
Department of Pediatrics Chief
Program Director, Pediatrics Infectious Diseases
Universidad Del Valle, Colombia
President, Colombian Infectious Diseases Association (ACIN)
Vicepresident, LatinAmerica Society of Pediatrics Infectious Diseases
Director, Center for Pediatrics Infectious Diseases Studies
Cali, Colombia
pio.lopez@ceiponline.org
Jorge Enrique Gomez Marin, MD, PhD
Professor,
Centre for Biomedical Research CIBM
Vicepresident of Research
Universidad del Quindio
Armenia, Colombia
gepamol2@uniquindio.edu.co
Jon E. Lutz, M.D., F.A.C.P.,
Summit medical group Orgeon
1501 NE Medical Center Dr, Bend, OR 97701
JLutz@BMCTOTALCARE.COM
She misses the point.
It is noted by Cort that the Grad Students working UNDER him were the ones complaining.
Everyone on her list of colleagues who worked with Montoya has MD after their name, and a title as a respected researcher or professor;
so is a respected near equal to Dr. Montoya in terms of research capabilities. Of course he would treat them with respect, as well as any paying customer.
Where are the names of any new ‘underling’ female Grad students with only a bachelors degree so far? Whose paycheck, college funding, and advanced degree depended on pleasing Dr. Montoya? He has a certain power over them, and could easily screw up their careers if they were not a “Team Player”.
Dr. Montoya apparently took advantage of that position of power for years, but got away with what he probably only saw as ‘good-natured teasing’ because of his good work.
No one likes being ‘teased’, which is criticism or harassment in disguise. With women, it can get lewd.
Foreign cultures are more accepting of women being treated “differently” than men, but that is not acceptable whatsoever in the S.F. Bay Area, where women engineers and doctors are MUCH more common than stay-at-home wives (and even most of those also have advanced degrees!).
In the SF Bay Area, if a man can not say a certain comment to a woman in front of his wife (or mother) without upsetting her, it should NOT be said or done. That is the easy way to judge it even in their own family’s culture.
…It seems like if Dr. Montoya’s wife saw the secret video playback of these incidents, she would have hit him over the head with her huaraches multiple times!
And only then he would realize what he was doing to these gals was wrong.
You may have an Uncle or boss like that yourself.
En los años que he conocido a Gilberto Montoya como estudiante de pregrado en la universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia, posteriormente como especialista e investigador, sus insuperables logros académicos, su vinculación con la Universidad de Stanford, sus conferencias y contribución desinteresada a aportarnos los últimos conocimientos, su sencillez, lo hacen una persona especial, jamas escuchamos de alguna comportamiento inapropiado que cometiera, tanto en su vida privada como profesional.
I assume Dr. Montoya had warnings and private censures, but continued to behave as a man raised in the deep rooted machismo of the Mexican culture, and not as someone raised in 21st Century California.
From my own experience of having an Iranian-born boss (who was much like the boss in Dilbert), harassment and disrespect involves BOTH the sexes, unless one has the balls to stand up to them and earn their respect. A tenured professor who is a lousy manager is difficult to fire or demote, and complaints usually only result in the termination of the complainer as “Not being a Team Player”. Only sexual harassment is easily proven in court and a dismissable offense; being an ass towards those under you is not.
I also wonder if Dr. Montoya being so slow to publish anything was due to lack of cooperation by his [harassed] staff. It may have taken half as long under a more supportive leader with good management skills.
Hopefully someone familiar with the Program at Stanford and with a virology background will step in and do an even better job; An MBA to better manage and better fund it would be a bonus.
When emotions rise high, assumptions go through the roof. I found the article by Cort very well balanced. It is a sadness from all viewpoints.
“Lo mínimo Dr. FIRMANTE, que hubiera podido hacer, era abstenerse”
Que bonito y profesional resulta ver los colegas del Dr. Montoya en su tierra natal, apoyándole, y ademas todas esas universidades y centros de investigación, representados por lo mas selecto de la ciencia.
Lo único que encuentro incorrecto es que uno de los firmantes , conoce de buena fuente que JOSE HERIBERTO MONTOYA MD. ACOSO a una mujer que estaba en una investigación.
La universidad de Stanford procedió acorde a sus criterios éticos y filosóficos.
Es una universidad de gran respeto mundial, y creo que su decisión de prescindir de los servicios de ese medico es un acto que recupera el respeto por su institución y los equipos de trabajo de mujeres profesionales.
Conclusión: Con la doble moral no se llega lejos.
I don’t want to enter the discussion about Dr Montoya but has anyone picked up the research about CE/CFS? My wife has suffered from CE/CFS 19 years. We have made 3 trips from Ohio to Stanford Medical and had 2 appointments with Dr Montoya.
Has Mr Davis or others made any progress with treatment?
If anyone sees this and can offer any insight it would be appreciated. We are a long way from Stanford and have not been able to travel back in the last 2-3 years.
I knew Jose personally, not professionally. He dated someone very close to me for several years. I found him to be a person with deep psychological issues and this incident does not surprise me at all. The way he treated women and issues relating to women was deeply disturbing.
It is possible for people to achieve tremendous success professionally and to be deeply disturbed at the same time. That is the case here. The damage caused is profound. His patients didn’t deserve this, his coworkers didn’t deserve this, and his friends and family didn’t deserve this. He has let everyone down. What a terrible waste.
Defending sexually deviants and attacking victims is not the answer. Holding people accountable for their actions is required. The vast majority of victims accurately report what happened to them. 100% of perpetrators depend on the defense of well meaning but fooled coworkers and friends to dodge accountability and continue indulging their depravity.
El primero de los valores de un medico o de cualquier miembro de un equipo de salud es el respeto por el otro, de ahí parte la honorabilidad y la capacidad de ejercer en la vida, la honestidad.Un medico que acuda a acosar su personal o sus estudiantes para lograr triunfos personales , no es confiable como investigador ni como profesional. Soy Colombiana y me avergüenza. En Colombia existen médicos y personal de salud acreditados por su eficiencia y su honorabilidad , yo misma hice parte de equipos médicos y doy fe de ello. QUE SE CUMPLA LA LEY. LA UNIVERDAD ACTUO CON JUSTA CAUSA.
El Dr Jose Gilberto Montoya gran persona, gran profesonal, excelente compañero durante todo el tiempo que compartimos en la Universidad del Valle, destacado por su calidad humana y respeto hacia todos y todas sus compañeras..
“Please accept our unconditional support for Dr. Montoya based on our direct professional and personal relationship with him during which time we have never witnessed a breach in his conduct.”
So everyone who signed that letter is basically saying that as long as the perpetrator is able to hide his behavior from everyone but the victim, it’s OK; their support is unconditional.
According to The Stanford Daily, “His termination occurred after an investigation, led by an outside attorney and an unnamed Stanford faculty member, found what [Stanford Medicine’s Infectious Diseases Division Chief] Singh called “multiple violations of the University’s conduct policies.”
Montoya responded in part that “… it was members of my Stanford ME/CFS team who experienced some of my behaviors as attempts at unsolicited sexual acts, harassment, and misconduct.
It is extremely important that you know I have not been involved in any sexual or romantic relationships with employees, trainees, colleagues, or CFS team members.”
Thus conflating “sexual or romantic relationships” with unsolicited sexual acts, harassment, and misconduct.