GAO Calls for Formal Procedures in Agencies for Reporting Political Interference

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) said last week that four Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies, including the FDA, need to establish formal procedures for reporting allegations of political interference.

Some agency officials told the GAO researchers that they observed incidents that could be considered political interference, but did not report them for various reasons, including fear of retaliation, uncertainty on how to report such issues and the belief that agency leaders were already aware of political interference issues.

In its recommendations to the FDA commissioner, GAO called for “procedures for reporting and addressing potential political interference in scientific decision-making” and said the commissioner should “ensure that FDA employees and contractors performing scientific activities are trained on how to report allegations of political interference in scientific decision-making.”

Read the full report here: bit.ly/3k4Zh00.