Laurence Tribe, a professor of constitutional law at Harvard and an expert on health law, said such fears were exaggerated.

"They are no-win situations," said Stephen J. Wayne, a professor of government at Georgetown University and an expert in the executive branch.

"It started out as a good idea," said Chester Mirsky, a professor of clinical law at New York University and an expert on plea bargaining.

Dr. H. Gilbert Welch, a professor of medicine at Dartmouth and an expert on medical diagnosis, agreed.

"This is really a shame," said Philip Cook, a professor of public policy at Duke University and an expert on illegal gun markets.

"It is common," said Judith L. Herman, a professor of psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School and an expert on child abuse.

"It's too cool," said Phil Hartman, a professor of biology at Texas Christian University and an expert in these particular worms, c. elegans.

"I don't think it is a disease," said Vicki Abt, a professor of sociology at Pennsylvania State University and an expert on gambling.

Gary I. Wadler, an associate professor of medicine at New York University and an expert on steroids, said he had three reactions to the news.