USGS scientists worry about being muzzled

msnbc (AP) ^ | Dec 16 2006 | John Heilprin

[djf]

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is clamping down on scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey, the latest agency subjected to controls on research that might go against official policy.

New rules require screening of all facts and interpretations by agency scientists who study everything from caribou mating to global warming. The rules apply to all scientific papers and other public documents, even minor reports or prepared talks, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

Top officials at the Interior Department’s scientific arm say the rules only standardize what scientists must do to ensure the quality of their work and give a heads-up to the agency’s public relations staff.

[Szent_Adam_Kiraly]

The FDA is already responsible for that.

Published data through scientific study is not the same as advocacy.

This article is about the govt screening scientific studies for the US Geological Survey, prepublication.

Its usually a marketing dept that advocates the use of a drug. This usually occurs between phase 3 and 4 of clinical trials.

In vitro testing
Animal testing
------Clinical Trials-------
phase1: is it safe?
phase2:.Does it work?
phase3: does it work double blind?
phase4: Post market surveillance

[longtermmemmory]

there is a HUGE problem with left wingers who have found job security in government jobs.

They are the ones whos junk science needs to be screened and prevented from infecting the political discussion.

too many leftists supppor research which is fake in data but accurate to political agendas.

[Szent_Adam_Kiraly]

I agree it is a huge problem with the Left Wingers, just as it is with the Right Wingers.

[lainie]

I understand your position and agree with you. Righteous indignation about 'tax money being wasted' makes me chuckle, given the state of the entire USG and the wastefulness that abounds endlessly. It's all about control.

[perez24]

When you're a federal employee you give up certain "rights" that you would enjoy if you weren't a federal employee such as running for partisan office and publishing whatever you want without getting it cleared. The trade-off, in terms of compensation and benefits, more than offset those "lost rights" in my case.

If the scientists truly want to be free, then they shoud quit USGS and publish whatever the heck they want.

Of course, they'd have to scramble for grants and little things like that.