Letter to HHS Secretary Thompson -- experts with "strong ties to the industries" are just wrong.
Sens. Kennedy, Clinton Send Letter to HHS Secretary Thompson Regarding Reorganization of Scientific Advisory Committees [Sep 20, 2002]
In response to the Bush administration's plan to restructure scientific advisory committees that guide <
http://www.hhs.gov/>; HHS on a wide range of health issues, Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass) and Hillary
Clinton (D-N.Y.) sent an "angry letter" to HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, asking him to explain the "wholesale replacement" of experts on the panels,
CongressDaily/AM reports (CongressDaily/AM, 9/20). Earlier this week, the Washington Post reported that the committees, which operate in near anonymity, are "important because their interpretation of scientific data can sway an agency's approach to health risk and regulation." However, in recent weeks, the administration eliminated two committees with views
seemingly "at odds with the president's views" and replaced almost all the members of a third committee with "handpicked choices" who have strong ties
to the industries about which they will be advising (
<
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=13496>; Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 9/17). In the letter to Thompson, the
senators said they are "deeply concerned by allegations that the changes underway are driven more by ideology than by science," adding that Thompson
should "reconsider these decisions and ... continue to appoint" experts who will "truly serve in the public interest." Kennedy and Clinton also asked Thompson to provide a report explaining his plans for the scientific advisory committees (CongressDaily/AM, 9/20).
