A new EPA rule would make those scientific studies in which the public has full access to all raw data, including confidential medical information, the only ones allowed for consideration for determining policy. This would “significantly limit the scientific and medical research that the government can use to determine public health regulations, overriding protests from scientists and physicians who say the new rule would undermine the scientific underpinnings of government policymaking” (NY Times, 11/ 11/20) Historically, in such ‘gold-standard’ studies researchers and scientists agreed to (legally) keep personal information private. The change would allow industry more discretion in picking those studies to show the EPA.
To quote Andrew Rosenberg (Sci. American, 2/2020) “This proposal puts a set of handcuffs on the agency (EPA), with industry-linked political appointees holding the key. It will make it harder for the EPA to protect communities or to hold polluters accountable.” Clean air and water and human health are at risk with this new rule.
