Scientific Integrity of Government Agencies

The Washington Post today has an article on the restrictions imposed on scientists in government agencies in sharing the scientific information produced in the agencies with the public and the scientific community. Based on a study done by the Union of Concerned Scientists (under the direction of my old friend and colleague, Francesca Grifo, the article states:

The Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health Administration have among the most restrictive policies in the federal government on releasing scientific information to the press and public, according to a "report card" being issued today by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, by contrast, do a commendable job of making scientific research and expertise available, the report said.

After a year-long review of press office policies of 15 federal agencies, the group concluded that the agencies handled information requests inconsistently and that there appears to be significant confusion in some agencies about what their policies are.

The report, begun after high-profile complaints by some government scientists that they were not allowed to openly discuss their findings, is based on surveys filled out by 739 researchers and some follow-up interviews, on information gathered through Freedom of Information Act requests, and on searches of agency Web sites for their stated policies......These were the grades awarded by the UCS: A: CDC; B-plus: Nuclear Regulatory Commission; B: NASA, NOAA, Census Bureau, National Institute of Standards and Technology; C: National Institutes of Health, U.S. Geological Survey; D: Fish and Wildlife Service, EPA , Bureau of Land Management, Consumer Product Safety Commission; F: OSHA.

Comment: The study adds data confirming that the Bush administration has been working to impose its ideological agenda on government science. Thus, the low grades go to organizations that provide data relating to stem cell research and environmental quality. Fortunately, both Obama and McCain have pledged to improve the situation if elected. JAD