WASHINGTON – U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee leaders today sent a letter to Dr. Elisabete Weiderpass, newly elected director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), detailing previous oversight into the IARC Monograph Programme and requesting Dr. Weiderpass’ testimony at a committee hearing.
Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), Vice Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), Environment Subcommittee Chairman Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and Rep. Neil Dunn (R-Fla.) reiterated to Dr. Weiderpass the issues the committee has found with the IARC Monograph Programme, as well as the inadequate responses received from previous IARC Director Christopher Wild.
Today’s letter reads in part:
In the course of this process, we have written several letters to IARC outlining concerns with the agency and have held a hearing to examine the flaws in the science and procedures of the Monograph Programme. In order to better understand how you will manage the IARC Monograph Programme, the Committee requests your testimony at a hearing in July 2018.
The Monograph Programme has been a recipient of significant criticism from a wide range of individuals and establishments, including scientists, judges, and Members of the U.S. Congress. Unfortunately, given the information collected and evaluated by the Committee, the way the Monograph Programme operated under Director Christopher Wild was an affront to scientific integrity and bred distrust and confusion in the marketplace and amongst government regulators. In its most recent oversight, the Committee has discovered that serious flaws existed in the glyphosate Monograph study and that despite these issues, Monograph participants used the study to influence policymakers in both Europe and the United States.
The full text of the letter can be found here.
Background:
- On November 1, Chairman Smith and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Biggs sent a letter to IARC Director Wild expressing concerns about the scientific integrity of IARC’s Monograph Programme.
- On November 20, Wild responded to the committee’s letter and refused to provide witnesses.
- On December 8, Smith, Biggs, and Lucas sent Director Wild an additional letter warning that the committee will consider cutting funding if IARC refuses to be transparent with the American people regarding its Monograph Programme.
The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee has jurisdiction over environmental and scientific programs.