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More Government Interference with Science

By stcynic on July 25, 2006.

Living the Scientific Life has the press release from the Union of Concerned Scientists that details a study on government manipulation of science at the FDA.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) today released survey results that demonstrate pervasive and dangerous political influence of science at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Of the 997 FDA scientists who responded to the survey, nearly one fifth (18.4 percent) said that they "have been asked, for non-scientific reasons, to inappropriately exclude or alter technical information or their conclusions in a FDA scientific document." This is the third survey UCS has conducted to examine inappropriate interference with science at federal agencies. [also see the Department of Health and Human Services recent survey results addressing this same topic].

"Science must be the driving force for decisions made at the FDA. These disturbing survey results make it clear that inappropriate interference is putting people in harm's way," said Dr. Francesca Grifo, Senior Scientist and Director of UCS's Scientific Integrity Program. "FDA leaders should act now to improve transparency and accountability and renew respect for independent science at the agency."

Let the scientists do science and keep the politicians away from it.

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Politics

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"Science must be the driving force for decisions made at the FDA. These disturbing survey results make it clear that inappropriate interference is putting people in harm's way," said Dr. Francesca Grifo, Senior Scientist and Director of UCS's Scientific Integrity Program. "FDA leaders should act now to improve transparency and accountability and renew respect for independent science at the agency."

This is all well and good, but what about market interference/influence and corruption into the same issues? The article does marginally point to commercial interests playing a role that corrupts the process (i.e. FDA leadership must face consequences if they side with commercial or political interests and not with the American people.), but a cursory reading leads one to think that political influence is the key issue.