There is nothing to defend in regards to the past. Anatabloc had a rudimentary initiation by a company/founder with a speckled history. It is a very humiliating piece of its origins, and it will continue to stigmatize the development until more credible studies are concluded. Unlike the ugly past, the legacy is far from over. Biden overcame the embarrassment of plagiarism, which plagued all his presidential runs, to become Vice President. My point is that it eventually matters not how it started, but how it finishes.
Life is not a fairy tale, and Anatabine is no exception. That is not to say it won't some day become a very beneficial medication. Mullen is a credible scientific leader who does validate the potential here. Is he fallable? Of course. Could anatabine falter? Of course. But there is a good indication that they are going to research the compound -- inside and out -- to determine if it has a place in medicine.