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New evidence is mounting that President Bush’s political agenda is interfering with and altering scientific reports issued by the federal government. The New York Times reports that, according to an Interior Department investigation, a “top-ranking official overseeing the Fish and Wildlife Service at the Interior Department rode roughshod over agency scientists.”

The official, Julie MacDonald, stands accused of, among other improprieties, “aggressive advocacy for industries’ views of the science that underlies agency decisions.” The Interior Department report also claims that MacDonald modified field reports about endangered species in order to minimize their protection (in favor of private landowners) and also may have violated federal rules by disclosing confidential internal information to various business-related entities.
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In a bizarre twist to the pet-food-contamination story, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it has identified a chemical known as melamine as the agent that has sickened or killed thousands of dogs and cats in North America. The FDA also raised the possibility for the first time that the melamine contamination might have spread to dry pet food in addition to the wet-style pet food previously indicated, although they haven’t yet named any brands or companies that may be affected.

However, the FDA’s testing did not reveal the presence of aminopterin, an ingredient in rat poison that was identified last week as the culprit by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. New York state officials are questioning the FDA’s findings and remain confident that aminopterin was present in the contaminated food.
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In a significant announcement, the American Cancer Society (ACS) has amended its breast-screening guidelines to include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests for high-risk individuals.

According to the ACS announcement, “Certain women with an especially high risk of developing breast cancer should get magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans along with their yearly mammogram, according to a new American Cancer Society guideline. The two tests together give doctors a better chance of finding breast cancer early in these women, when it is easier to treat and the chance of survival is greatest.”
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