HIV Battle

The pettiness of elected officials becomes increasingly galling (“People Could Die, but Let’s Not Make Waves,” Commentary, Feb. 20). A dedicated, compassionate, ethical scientist, Dr. Peter Kerndt, Los Angeles County’s chief epidemiologist, is sidelined because someone issued “misinformation.” The public be damned; we lose competent, educated, hard-working, credible people due to rumor-mongering.

I hope my supervisor was not one of those impugning the impeccable career of such a worthy doctor. I am weary of the sleaze factor.

N.M. WELLS

San Pedro