Measuring Progress on Scientific Integrity

The report finds that while FDA scientists express increased confidence in agency leadership and a general improvement in protecting public health compared to 2006, significant challenges remain. These include persistent political and commercial interference in regulatory decisions, uncertainty regarding the right to publish research or speak to the press, and a perceived decline in the consistency between agency actions and scientific findings.

• FDA scientists show increased confidence in agency leadership and mission effectiveness compared to 2006. Specifically, 743 respondents agreed the agency is acting effectively to protect public health (a 25% increase), 652 agreed the agency is moving in the right direction (more than double the 2006 figure), and 679 expressed respect for the integrity and professionalism of overall leadership (a 25% increase).
• There is significant uncertainty and fear regarding professional communication. 443 respondents did not know if they were allowed to publish work in peer-reviewed journals regardless of controversy, and 398 were unaware of their right to speak to the news media and public about their research findings. Additionally, 244 respondents felt they could not express concerns about mission-driven work without fear of retaliation.
• Political and commercial interests continue to exert excessive influence on regulatory decisions. 55% of respondents believe political influence is "too high," and 40% believe business influence is "too high." Furthermore, 214 scientists felt business interests had "a lot of weight" in final decisions, while 265 felt political interests had "a lot of weight."
• Scientists reported direct interference in their work within the past year, including instances where public health was harmed by businesses withholding safety information (309 scientists), and cases where members of Congress (253 scientists) or corporate interests (238 scientists) forced the modification or withdrawal of policies designed to protect consumers.
• There is a perceived decline in the utilization of scientific expertise and the consistency of agency actions with science. The number of respondents who felt the FDA makes use of the best judgments of its scientific staff decreased by 10% since 2006, and the number who agreed that determinations are consistent with scientific findings decreased by 12%.
• The report identifies a "significant revolving door" at the agency, noting that 219 respondents—nearly a quarter of the survey group—had previously worked for a regulated industry or a group representing such an industry.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2012). Measuring Progress on Scientific Integrity. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/fda-survey-report-2011.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Measuring Progress on Scientific Integrity. 2012. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/fda-survey-report-2011.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Measuring Progress on Scientific Integrity |date=March 2012 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/fda-survey-report-2011.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2012measuring, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Measuring Progress on Scientific Integrity}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2012}, month = mar, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/fda-survey-report-2011.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }