Last week the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) released updated evidence that the Bush administration continues to manipulate and control science for political reasons. UCS has now collected the signatures of more than 4,000 scientists supporting a statement urging the Bush administration to discontinue these troubling practices, and to restore scientific integrity in federal policymaking. The prestigious list of scientists taking this unprecedented stand includes 48 Nobel laureates, 62 national medal of science recipients, and 127 members of the National Academy of Sciences.

In the first ever court decision to address the Data Quality Act, a federal district court in Minnesota has held that the Act does not permit petitioners to seek judicial review.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received a request from a private citizen November 19, 2002 challenging a published statement that indicates fluoridation of public water supplies is safe. Request for Correction The challenged statement is from CDC⦡mp;#8364;?s frequently asked questions page for community fluoridation, which reads -- "Extensive research conducted over the past 50 years has shown that fluoridation of public water supplies is a safe and effective way to reduce tooth decay for all community residents."

The Department of Commerce U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) received a data quality request October 2, 2002 requesting correction of information associated with a specific patent (6,344,272). The petitioner asserts that while the patent was processing, the wrong set of claims where identified and disseminated with the patent on the USPTO website.