The AAMC sent a joint letter on Sept. 30 in response to a request for feedback from White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Director Eric Lander, PhD, on implementing the research security guidelines in National Security Presidential Memorandum 33 (NSPM-33) [refer to Washington Highlights, Jan. 22]. This letter was also signed by the American Council on Education, the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and the Council on Governmental Relations.
In the letter, the associations stressed the need to safeguard the integrity of federally funded research while also maintaining meaningful international scientific collaboration. The letter provided several recommendations for the OSTP as it implements NSPM-33 and moves to standardize and coordinate federal research security policies. These recommendations included:
- Building on existing policies created by institutions to address research security.
- Recognizing that the vast majority of university research is open and unrestricted and should not be subject to research standards from the commercial sector.
- Incorporating the use of pilot programs and continued community engagement as any new policies are implemented.