New Law Restricts Political Interference in Science Disseminating False Information

Here's something interesting I found from the Union of concerned Scientists Website. The law in a nutshell, makes it illegal to disseminate false or misleading information. It also prohibits questioning scientific advisory panel nominees about their political affiliation, voting history and positions on topics unrelated to the capacity in which they are to serve.

From the Union of Concerned Scientists:

"If your doctor gives you misleading scientific information, it's called malpractice," said Dr. Francesca Grifo, senior scientist and director of the Scientific Integrity Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "It should already have been illegal for political appointees in government posts to knowingly provide false information, so this ban at HHS represents a modest but important first step in ensuring scientific integrity in federal policy-making and better health care for us all." Health and Human Services comprises a dozen important health-related government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The National Institutes of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration.

In recent years, scientists who have been nominated to serve on committees advising the HHS Department on issues such as drug abuse and stem cell research have been evaluated based on their political affiliations, campaign contributions or ideological beliefs rather than scientific qualifications. Moreover, information vital to Americans' safety has been suppressed or distorted, such as the data about dangers associated with widely used medications such as Vioxx.

Introduced by Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), the legislation was an amendment attached to the Labor, Health, Human Services and Related Agencies Appropriations bill in response to concerns raised by leading U.S. scientists during the past two years. More than 8,400 U.S. scientists, including 49 Nobel laureates, 63 National Medal of Science recipients, and 169 members of the National Academies have signed a statement calling for an end to the political interference with science. In addition, a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) panel, chaired by former Congressman John Porter (R-Ill.), released a report in November 2004 that found political litmus tests were being applied in the selection of scientific advisory committees. The NAS report stated that "[I]t is no more appropriate to ask experts to provide non-relevant information—such as voting record, political party affiliation, or position on particular policies—than to ask them other personal and immaterial information, such as hair color or height."

"Americans should be able to trust that our leaders are making decisions about our health and safety with input from the nation's best scientists," said Grifo. "Policy makers must rely on impartial and objective scientific information, not information or experts that best fit an ideology."

New Law Restricts Political Interference in Science Disseminating False Information