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Nature 431, 3 (2 September 2004) | doi:10.1038/431003a; Published online 1 September 2004

Open Innovation Challenges

Ethics review slams government panels over conflicts of interest

Emma Marris

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Critics decry job-title loophole in committee rules

A US government ethics office is demanding that agencies comply more fully with rules requiring experts on advisory panels to declare potential conflicts of interest.Some two-thirds of scientists, engineers, lawyers and other specialists on the panels don't fill out any financial conflict-of-interest paperwork.