The 2002 review of the scientific committees

Monday 11 February 2008

In 2002, the Board of the Food Standards Agency requested that a review be undertaken of the role, methods of operation and effectiveness of the independent scientific committees that advise the Agency on food issues.

The review has taken into account existing Government guidelines for the operation of public bodies and recommendations from two reviews, the Phillips Report into BSE and the review into the way in which risk is handled by scientific advisory committees dealing with food safety. The report addresses how the Agency establishes and supports the committees, the way that the committees conduct their business, and how the advice issued by committees is sought and used in policy making by the Agency.

The review makes key recommendations on topics such as the need to balance openness with confidentiality requirements, and the handling of potential conflicts of interest. A total of 50 recommendations were made on the way the committees work.