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Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Hired Guns Suppress Science, Delay Regulation

A scientific consulting group posted material on its website bragging about some of the accomplishments it had made on behalf of its clients, including the delay of a ban on a potentially harmful drug, according to a House investigation. ABC News reports:

The firm's efforts "led to an extensive process" and eventually "10 additional years of sales prior to the ultimate cancellation of the drug," according to a printout of the page provided to ABC News by the committee.

The consultant, the Weinberg Group, has since removed the material from its website. But the House Energy and Commerce Committee is demanding information related to the drug delay and ten other potential incidents of regulatory delay or scientific suppression. Currently, the committee does not know the name of the drug mentioned in the Weinberg Group's material or the name of the client Weinberg was working for.

The discovery of these scientific shenanigans is the latest development in an ongoing congressional investigation into the use of Bisphenol-A, a common chemical which has been linked to adverse health effects, in children's products. Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), chairman of the committee, has accused the Weinberg Group of using questionable scientific practices to downplay Bisphenol-A's effects.

(Thanks to the Center for Science in the Public Interest for pointing out this story.)