GMW:_U.S._Imposes_New_Limits_on_Scientists

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GMW:_U.S._Imposes_New_Limits_on_Scientists

" GM_WATCH "

Tue, 29 Jun 2004 13:26:46 +0100

 

GM WATCH daily

http://www.gmwatch.org

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Clearly some US scientists haven't quite twigged the full meaning of " You're

either with us, or against us " .

 

See second item for Tommy Thompson's Monsanto connections.

 

1.U.S. Imposes New Limits on Scientists

2.Secretary of Health Tommy Thompson's long history of supporting Monsanto and

biotechnology

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1.Waxman: U.S. Imposes New Limits on Scientists

Fri Jun 25, 2004

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews & storyID=5511364 & src=rss\

/healthNews§ion=news

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government is making it harder for scientists to

speak to their global colleagues and restricting who can attend an upcoming

major AIDS conference, a congressman charged on Thursday.

 

Rep. Henry Waxman said he has a letter showing that the Health and Human

Services Department has imposed new limits on who may speak to the World Health

Organization.

 

Under the new policy, WHO must ask HHS for permission to speak to scientists and

must allow HHS to choose who will respond.

 

" This policy is unprecedented. For the first time political appointees will

routinely be able to keep the top experts in their field from responding to WHO

requests for guidance on international health issues, " the California Democrat

wrote in a letter to HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson.

 

" This is a raw attempt to exert political control over scientists and scientific

evidence in the area of international health, " Waxman wrote.

 

" Under the new policy the administration will be able to refuse to provide any

experts whenever it wishes to stall international progress on controversial

topics. "

 

An HHS spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

 

Waxman also complained that HHS had cut back a list of scientists planning to

attend the International AIDS Society conference in Bangkok, Thailand, next

month. The conference is considered the premiere meeting for AIDS experts.

 

Waxman said that 40 presentations scheduled for the conference were withdrawn

after HHS decided that only 50 U.S. scientists could attend.

 

" The scientific community was outraged by this pullback, " he wrote.

 

" I ask you to rescind this ill-advised policy until it can be adequately

reviewed and justified, " Waxman wrote of the restrictions on WHO requests.

 

He also urged Thompson to review his decision on the Bangkok conference.

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2.Secretary of Health & Human Services Tommy Thompson

http://www.knowthecandidates.org/ktc/BushGang/tommythompsonexpose.htm

also see

http://www.inthesetimes.com/issue/25/06/nichols2506.html

http://www.bushwatch.net/cabinet.htm Thompson(among others)

 

Tommy Thomson, governor of Wisconsin, has just accepted George Bush's nomination

for the position of Secretary of the Department of Health and Human

Services. In that capacity, Thompson will become the " boss " of the FDA.

 

Thompson has a long history of supporting Monsanto and biotechnology.

 

Before the genetically engineered bovine growth hormone was approved,

Wisconsin's dairy farmers protested its approval and sought a moratorium on its

use.

 

Thompson lifted that moratorium, despite the fact that 90% of the calls to his

office voiced support for the moratorium.

 

Thompson recently received a $50,000 gift from the biotechnology industry. While

governor, he passed through legislation that got $317 million in state

funds to build a " silicon-valley-style " biotechnology zone.

 

That's Thompson's vision for Wisconsin. The " Biotechnology State. " That too, may

be his vision for America.

 

see also: http://www.organicconsumers.org/monsanto/MonBushAdmin.cfm