President Trump Signs Executive Order Impacting Scientific Integrity Policies
On May 23rd, President Trump signed an executive order (EO) titled Restoring Gold Standard Science, which has significant implications for federal agency scientific integrity (SI) policies. The EO directs agency leadership to roll back their SI policies to the standards in place when President Trump left office, potentially weakening or removing key protections.
The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has been tasked with developing new guidance for federal agencies by the end of June. This guidance will shape the creation of new policies that align with the Trump administration’s definition of scientific integrity and “gold standard science.”
Scientific integrity policies play a vital role in safeguarding the scientific process from external influences, ensuring accessibility to federal research and evidence while protecting personal data, allowing federal scientists to communicate their findings freely, and promoting the use of the best available science in decision-making.
By upholding SI policies, federal agencies create a barrier between external entities, such as polluters and conspiracy theorists, and scientific research. This separation ensures that scientific evidence remains unbiased and informs policies that protect public health and safety from various threats, including environmental hazards, contaminated products, diseases, and extreme weather events.
Given the critical importance of scientific integrity policies, it is essential that they are developed, implemented, and enforced in accordance with best practices and evidence-based approaches within each federal agency’s culture.
Recent actions, such as the National Institute of Health rescinding its SI policy, have sparked public outcry. Over 14,200 individuals signed a letter demanding the immediate reinstatement of the policy, highlighting the widespread support for strong SI measures.
The Union of Concerned Scientists has also expressed concerns about the recent EO and its potential impact on SI policies. In a letter to OSTP Director Michael Kratsios, the organization outlined recommendations for the new guidance requested by President Trump. These recommendations are informed by scientific evidence and effective SI policy frameworks, with a focus on upholding the integrity of federal scientific research.
As the administration moves forward with developing new guidance for federal agency SI policies, it is crucial that these efforts are grounded in sound science and evidence-based practices. The Union of Concerned Scientists remains vigilant in monitoring these developments and advocating for robust scientific integrity standards.
