My opinion on EPA's proposal to base their regulatory decisions on transparent science has been published by The Regulatory Review. "Science and Democratic Policy in a Data-Driven World". Bipartisan and nonpartisan groups, including the most prestigious science journals, have recommended data access for years. Data transparency is the only way that citizens can keep a check on the effect of politics in regulatory decisions. Moreover, transparent science should be the rule at every regulatory agency and not just EPA.
My comment for the Regulatory Studies Center at George Washington University on a maximum limit on the nicotine content of cigarettes was submitted to FDA. FDA's approach has potential to make it easier to quit smoking, but it is unproven. So the agency should proceed with developing a nicotine standard for cigarettes, but at the same time it needs a comprehensive plan for access to nicotine in products that don't burn. And FDA should plan to learn from experience once any rule is in place and be ready to adjust the rule accordingly. The agency should also make the data from taxpayer-funded tobacco research available to the public.
