US environmental body ditches ban on grantees on advisory panels

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has put an end to its controversial policy, announced nearly three years ago by former administrator Scott Pruitt, to ban scientists who are funded by the agency from serving on its science advisory boards. The prohibition was heavily criticised by the scientific and environmental communities for weakening the scientific rigour of these committees instead of increasing their independence, but the EPA had argued that grantees sitting on such panels represents a conflict of interest.