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Reactions to the decision of the university to accept British American Tobacco funding for its business school have ranged from moral condemnation to an acceptance of economic pragmatism in relation to the financing of higher education (News and Letters, THES, December 8; Letters, THES, December 15).

We acknowledge that the university has abided by existing guidelines and protocols, particularly those of the Cancer Research Campaign and the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals. We are also aware that the funding will not be associated with, and will be geographically remote from, all health-related activities in this university.

Nevertheless, as professionals in health sciences and health care, dedicated to developing therapies and preventing disease, we deeply regret the university's decision to accept corporate sponsorship from BAT.

S. J. Hill Director, Institute of Cell Signalling
D. E. Thurston and M. F. G. Stevens Cancer Research Laboratories
P. Williams Director, Institute of Infections and Immunity
I. A. Macdonald Head, School of Biomedical Sciences
M. C. Davies Head, pharmaceutical sciences
N. Kalsheker Head, clinical laboratory sciences
A. E. Tattersfield Professor, respiratory medicine
B. W. Bycroft School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
J. Carmichael J. B. Cochrane Cancer Research Campaign professor of clinical oncology, University of Nottingham