Officials: Presidential Memo to Insulate Science From Politics

Officials: Presidential Memo to Insulate Science From Politics

By Rob Stein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, March 8, 2009; 7:04 PM


When President Obama lifts restrictions on funding for human embryonic stem cell research Monday, he will also issue a presidential memorandum aimed at insulating scientific decisions across the federal government from political influence, officials said today.

"The president believes that it's particularly important to sign this memorandum so that we can put science and technology back at the heart of pursuing a broad range of national goals," said Melody Barnes, director of Obama's Domestic Policy Council.

While officials would not go into details, the memorandum will order the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to "assure a number of effective standards and practices that will help our society feel that we have the highest-quality individuals carrying out scientific jobs and that information is shared with the public," said Harold Varmus, who co-chairs Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

The decision by President George W. Bush to restrict funding for stem cell research was seen by critics as part of a pattern of allowing political ideology to influence scientific decisions, affecting issues including whether to approve the morning-after pill Plan B for over-the-counter sales and climate change.

"We view what happened with stem cell research in the last administration as one manifestation of the failure to think carefully about how federal support of science and the use of scientific advice occurs," Varmus said. "This is consistent with {Obama's} determination to use sound scientific practice, responsible practice of science and evidence, instead of dogma in developing federal policy."

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/08/AR2009030801476.html?hpid=topnews

n/t

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

Obama took the politics out of science.

Speaking as a professional scientist, all I can say is:

THIS is change we can believe in!