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EPA to Limit Scientific Research It Can Use to Write Health Regulations: NYT

The EPA is reportedly preparing to create a requirement that scientists disclose all of their raw data—including confidential medical records.

The Environment Protection Agency is preparing to use a much more limited range of scientific and medical research to write its public-health regulations, The New York Times reports. A draft of the EPA’s proposals include a requirement that scientists disclose all of their raw data—including confidential medical records—before the agency can use a study to make new regulations. However, the Times reports that a lot of health studies used by the EPA rely on personal information gathered under confidentiality agreements, meaning that some work might be inadmissible under the new proposals. The plan is reportedly intended to apply retroactively, which would stop the further use of studies already routinely cited by the EPA that don’t comply with the new proposal. The EPA said the move will make sure that “the science supporting agency decisions is transparent and available for evaluation by the public and stakeholders.”