The AAMC sent a joint letter on July 27 with the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Association of American Universities, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and Council on Governmental Relations to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in response to a request for information (RFI) on improving federal scientific integrity policies and public trust in science.
In the letter, the associations stressed the importance of building and maintaining public trust in science, especially at a time when that trust has been shaken by lack of transparency and anti-science rhetoric, including by a recently vacated regulation from the Environmental Protection Agency [refer to Washington Highlights, Feb. 5].
The comments noted the value of clear communication and dissemination of complex scientific topics and research, effective training on scientific integrity for federal employees and grantees, and streamlined policies across the government that promote and protect a rigorous scientific research enterprise.
The information collected in the RFI will be used to inform the work of the administration’s Scientific Integrity Task Force, created to respond to President Joe Biden’s Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking.