Jerold Francis Lucey, MD (1926-2017)

Abstract

We note with sadness the death of Jerry Lucey, a friend, mentor, and colleague. His name is familiar to all pediatricians though his life work and contributions as an outstanding clinician, neonatologist, investigator, advocate, educator, and editor. Dr Lucey was an internationally renowned neonatologist at the University of Vermont College of Medicine since 1956. He made numerous contributions to the care of premature infants, specifically advances in phototherapy and oxygen monitoring, and the promotion of randomized trials among neonatal units. He was the recipient of numerous awards in recognition of his outstanding qualities of scholarship and advocacy on behalf of children. In his role as the Editor of Pediatrics, Dr Lucey established policies and standards that have served to guide us all. His vision of having Pediatrics embrace the global medical community led to the establishment in that journal of a strong international science and clinical practice presence. Of specific note was his commitment to the highest ethical standards in research and publication. This is perhaps best exemplified by his response to an article published in Pediatrics in 1972, which had linked sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and breathing abnormalities.1Steinschneider A. Prolonged apnea and sudden infant death syndrome: clinical and laboratory observations.Pediatrics. 1972; 50: 646-654PubMed Google Scholar Several children from one family with apparent SIDS served as the basis for this study; they were later shown to be victims of medical child abuse. The published hypothesis of a genetic predisposition to SIDS, as well as a causal association between SIDS and infantile apnea, led to the use of home cardiorespiratory monitors to prevent SIDS. This widely cited report triggered not only parental anxiety but countess hours of fruitless investigation into the relationship between apnea and SIDS.2Consensus Statement National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference on infantile apnea and home monitoring, September 29, 1986–October l, 1986.Pediatrics. 1987; 79: 292-300PubMed Google Scholar, 3Firstman R. Talen J. The death of innocents. Bantam Books, New York (NY)1997Google Scholar, 4Duffy P. Bryan M.H. Home apnea monitoring in “near miss” sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and siblings of SIDS victims.Pediatrics. 1982; 70: 69-74PubMed Google Scholar Despite the fact that this article was accepted before Dr Lucey's tenue as editor, he addressed the issue head on, apologized for the mistake, and stated that the article was flawed and should never have been published.5Lucey J.F. A very important erratum? — 20 years later.Pediatrics. 1994; 93: 944Google Scholar Dr Lucey's dedication to the highest ethical standards is an enduring legacy. In 1990, he joined the editors of several general pediatric journals to express concern about ethical transgressions—such as the duplication of data in papers submitted to several journals (self-plagiarism) and the practice of dividing a study into several short reports (the “least publishable unit”)—in a constructive effort to maintain the quality of the pediatric literature.6Bier D.M. Fulginiti V.A. Garfunkel J.M. Lucey J.M. Spranger J. Valman B. et al.Duplicate publication and related problems.J Pediatr. 1990; 117: 903Abstract Full Text PDF Scopus (4) Google Scholar In 2009, Dr Lucey and the editors of the major US general pediatric journals met at the annual Pediatric Academic Societies meeting to initiate a workshop entitled “Ethics in Publishing”; this on-going workshop remains important and highly relevant today. Dr Lucey will be missed by all who have benefited from his contributions—his patients, his students, as well as pediatricians worldwide.