Washington DC
THE US National Academy of Sciences, the elite body that is frequently asked
to advise the federal government, has been told to open its doors to the
public.
The Supreme Court last week refused to overturn a ruling that NAS advisory
committees must be open to public scrutiny and be politically and scientifically
鈥渂alanced鈥�. Academy officials fear that this will undermine the NAS鈥檚
impartiality. They are seeking a change in the law to escape the ruling鈥檚
effects.
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The problem stems from a suit brought by the Animal Legal Defense Fund and
other groups, which wanted access to meetings of a 1994 NAS committee examining
the care of laboratory animals. They argued that the NAS should be subject to a
鈥渟unshine鈥� act intended to make government committees more accountable. While a
lower court disagreed, an appeals court sided with the animal rights groups
(This Week, 26 January, p 9).
The Supreme Court鈥檚 refusal to hear a further
appeal exhausts the NAS鈥檚 judicial options.
NAS officials do not accept that their expert committees should be considered
as an arm of government. 鈥淭he key to the academy鈥檚 credibility is that it keeps
at arm鈥檚 length from government,鈥� says E. William Colglazier, the NAS鈥檚
executive officer.
The NAS also claims that the ruling would cripple the academy鈥檚 committees.
Pressure groups could challenge the committees鈥� scientific balance. Or committee
members might refrain from frank discussion if their every utterance were placed
on the record.
The NAS is trying to get a Congressional exemption from the act, but until
then will sidestep the ruling by using 鈥減rincipal investigator鈥� groups of two
scientists, which are not defined as committees under the sunshine act. 鈥淚t鈥檚
not nearly as good as a committee, but it鈥檚 a way of operating in the interim,鈥�
says NAS president Bruce Alberts.
Alberts is confident that the NAS will get the required legislation next
year. But he fears that the court ruling is indicative of public mistrust.
鈥淟et鈥檚 face it,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e an elitist organisation. People don鈥檛 like
anything that鈥檚 elitist.鈥�