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Some scientists are exempted from government’s “gagging clause”

BMJ 2016; 353 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i2299 (Published 21 April 2016) Cite this as: BMJ 2016;353:i2299
  1. Anne Gulland
  1. London

Scientists have welcomed the government’s announcement that research councils and the national academies will not be bound by a controversial “gagging clause” but have called for more clarity about who will be exempt.

In February the Cabinet Office announced that a new clause would be inserted into all grant agreements from May, requiring that government money should not be spent on campaigns to influence parliament, government, or political parties or to “influence legislative or regulatory action.”1 Scientists were concerned that this would stop them speaking out against government policy.

In a statement released on 19 April the universities and …

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