July 15, 2020
The National Association of Science Writers calls on the Trump Administration to ensure that public health data—including data that involve COVID-19 hospitalizations and availability of personal protective equipment, ventilators, and ICU beds—remain publicly available, transparent, and accessible. The removal of such data from the purview of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the failure to make those data immediately available elsewhere are egregious violations of transparency and accessibility during a period when timely access to public health data is critical.
Americans must have access to up-to-date and scientifically accurate information that is unfettered by political influence so they can protect their own health while also working to safeguard their families and communities.
NASW’s Information Access Standards underscore the importance of accurate and timely communication about scientific information. Information that is critical to the health of all Americans should not be controlled by political officials, nor should it be politicized.
Founded in 1934 with a mission to fight for the free flow of science news, NASW is an organization of ~ 2,400 professional journalists, authors, editors, producers, public information officers, students and people who write and produce material intended to inform the public about science, health, engineering, and technology. To learn more, visit nasw.org.
CONTACT:
Tinsley Davis, NASW Executive Director, 510-647-9500, director@nasw.org
Siri Carpenter, NASW President, president@nasw.org
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