Scientific Peer Review to Inform Regulatory Decisions
Goal
To continue and expand the international dialogue on peer review begun with the February 2006 publication of the report “Scientific Peer Review to Inform Regulatory Decisions: Leadership Responsibilities and Cautions” (Risk Analysis, Vol. 26, No. 1, 2006)
Project Rationale
Congress, the courts, and the public are giving increasing attention to peer review practices in federal agencies. For federal agencies, new government-wide guidance from the Office of Management and Budget encourages consistency and, for some, adds new dimensions to the task. Decision-makers and other organizational leaders need to know if the scientific and technical foundations of their decisions can be expected to withstand scrutiny as rulemaking products wend their way through interagency review, public comment and stakeholder processes, Congressional oversight and judicial review. Effective peer review can provide information for this assessment. Additionally, attention to peer review would enhance confidence in scientific information from academics, professional societies, public interest groups, and industry that contribute scientific information for use in regulatory decision-making.
Approach
The ILSI Research Foundation/Risk Science Institute is in the process of developing a program of presentation, discussion and consultation on peer review that will involve working with agency leaders to identify strengths, limitations, and opportunities for improvement in their existing peer review programs.
· Identify specific organizations and agencies within North America and Europe (and possibly other regions) that are interested in participating in this dialogue.
· Working with leaders in these organizations/agencies, develop plans for presentations, discussion, and consultation. One approach, for example, would be a program of “tutorial seminars” for scientists and managers who have peer review responsibilities in government agencies and in the private sector. The structure of the seminar would be flexible, but might involve two- to three-hour interactive sessions for developing and illustrating the principles set forth in the report using case examples. An initial session with senior managers and decision-makers, followed by later presentation to selected staff, would be desirable.
· Identify and develop opportunities for inter-organizational and international dialogue on this topic. Venues might include governmental interagency committees, international organizations (WHO, FAO), and international meetings of scientific societies.
Current Status
ILSI Research Foundation is currently seeing organizations interested in participation.
This project was initially supported through a cooperative agreement with the US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. Health Canada also is providing partial support for the development of this program.