US scientists reject interference

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Robert J. Berger" <[email protected]>
Date: December 15, 2006 12:37:59 PM JST
To: Dewayne Hendricks <[email protected]>, David Farber  
<[email protected]>
Subject: US scientists reject interference

US scientists reject interference
By Jonathan Amos  Science reporter, BBC News, San Francisco
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6178213.stm

Some 10,000 US researchers have signed a statement protesting about  
political interference in the scientific process.

The statement, which includes the backing of 52 Nobel Laureates,  
demands a restoration of scientific integrity in government policy.

According to the American Union of Concerned Scientists, data is  
being misrepresented for political reasons.

It claims scientists working for federal agencies have been asked to  
change data to fit policy initiatives.

The Union has released an "A to Z" guide that it says documents  
dozens of recent allegations involving censorship and political  
interference in federal science, covering issues ranging from global  
warming to sex education.

Campaigners say that in recent years the White House has been able to  
censor the work of agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency  
and the Food and Drug Administration because a Republican congress  
has been loath to stand up for scientific integrity.

"It's very difficult to make good public policy without good science,  
and it's even harder to make good public policy with bad science,"  
said Dr Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute for Studies  
in Development, Environment and Security.

"In the last several years, we've seen an increase in both the misuse  
of science and I would say an increase of bad science in a number of  
very important issues; for example, in global climate change,  
international peace and security, and water resources."

The statement was released at the American Geophysical Union's Fall  
Meeting. It is an annual gathering of Earth scientists.

Last year, it triggered a major row when a discussion here resulted  
in the renowned US space agency climate scientist Dr James Hansen  
later claiming he had come under pressure not to talk to the media on  
global warming issues.

Michael Halpern from the UCS said the statement of objection to  
political interference had been supported by researchers regardless  
of their political views.

"This science statement that has now been signed by the 10,000  
scientists is signed by science advisers to both Republican and  
Democratic administrations dating back to President Eisenhower,  
stating that this is not business as usual and calling for this  
practice to stop," he told BBC News.

The Union said is was hopeful that the new Congress taking office in  
January would show a greater commitment to protecting the integrity  
of the scientific process.


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