American Chemical Society to host public interest forum on science in public policy on Oct. 27

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21, 2010 — The American Chemical Society (ACS), a member of Professionals for the Public Interest (PftPI), has organized a forum on “The Appropriate Use of Science in Public Policy.” It will be held on Oct. 27 in the auditorium of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1200 New York Avenue, NW, in Washington, D.C. The presentation and discussion will be from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., followed by a reception.

The federal government relies on scientific studies to craft regulations intended to protect the health and safety of American workers, the general public, and the environment. The forum will explore ways to improve the process, to ensure utilization of the widest possible range of knowledge and expertise, avoid conflicts of interest and inappropriate influence, and ensure that science helps craft public policy.

Paul E. Almeida, Chair, PftPI, will introduce the session and Josh Trapani, Senior Policy Analyst, Association of American Universities, will moderate. The speakers include:

• Susan Wood, director, Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health, George Washington University
• Michael Holsapple, executive director, Health and Environmental Sciences Institute
• Carol Henry, professorial lecturer, George Washington University
• Jennifer Sass, senior scientist, Natural Resources Defense Council.

This event is free and open to the public with advance registration. To register, go to http://www.pftpi.org/rsvp/. For more information, contact Jennifer Dorning at jdorning@dpeaflcio.org or 202-638-0320 x114.

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