Science Integrity Reports From Fed Agencies Are In, but Info Is Scarce

"Federal agencies turned in progress reports to the White House this week on their scientific integrity policies, but officials are saying little about how far along agencies have come in protecting scientists' work from political meddling.

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy announced on its blog yesterday that "representatives of every executive branch department" had turned in progress reports, as requested in OSTP Director John Holdren's December 2010 memo. President Obama directed agencies to adopt scientific integrity policies more than two years ago; since then, only the Department of Interior has issued a final policy.

Scientists and nonprofits have bemoaned the slow rollout of agency policies -- and of OSTP's guidance, which was released 17 months late in December. Francesca Grifo, director of the scientific integrity program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said yesterday that she hoped OSTP enforced a firm deadline on agencies to develop policies in the coming months."

Emily Yehle reports for Greenwire April 22, 2011.