Progress Made On Integrity Policies

Federal agencies are making progress in writing new policies on scientific integrity, according to the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy. OSTP reported that 30 departments, offices, and agencies have submitted reports on the progress they are making to White House science adviser John P. Holdren, who gave the agencies 120 days to submit reports in the Dec. 17, 2010, memo he wrote seeking the integrity policies. Of the reports, six are considered draft or completed integrity policies. Agencies that have submitted reports include NSF, NASA, EPA, and the Departments of Energy, Agriculture, Defense, and Health & Human Services. Government watchdog groups have been critical of the pace and transparency of the OSTP integrity process. Francesca T. Grifo, director of the Scientific Integrity Program for the Union of Concerned Scientists, said in a statement: “The bad news is we have precious little information about what any of the responses said.” She added that OSTP needs to be more open and to set firm deadlines for the entire process.