Opinion in 1996

Scientists have been over-sensitive to public discussion of what they do.

Republicans in the United States are promoting legislation that would insist on scientific risk analysis before any tightening of environmental regulation. The proposals are not acceptable.

Japan's regulatory system for drugs and other medical treatment needs to be completely overhauled.

Since its foundation in 1995, the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has been radical and innovative in developing its relationships with the communities that it funds. Researchers' distrust of the changes is justified.

The launch of Nature Biotechnology makes some clarification appropriate.

Europe's achievements in space combine excellent science with responsible management. New measures to increase cost-effectiveness can only be welcome, while the United States can recover its shaky reputation by taking the lead in small missions.

After long delays, government initiatives give tangible cause for hope in South Africa.

The new batch of changes to procedures for selecting competitive grants is one of many recent welcome improvements to Japan's university research system. But it is by no means adequate.

A survey and a 'leak' are symptoms of a corruption of traditional science.

Creating affordable energy by fusing deuterium and tritium is still only a dream, while costs of fusion research continue to climb. The community's plans still command political support, but need bolstering by a fundamental review of activities.

The UK government should consult independent researchers on chemical weapons.

A new section in this issue of Nature highlights the growing demands of insurers for access to genetic information, the diversity of legislative responses, and the many scientific uncertainties. The history of genetics suggests a controversial way forward.

The National Science Foundation has found itself stranded by the US budgetary battles, while other, more contentious agencies know what they will have to spend. Scientists and science's beneficiaries need to sharpen their political wits.

The existence of public databases adds an obligation to some authors to deposit data. The situation with research materials is less clear-cut. It is time, nevertheless, for a change in Nature's policies.

The family of Nature journals is about to expand once again, to develop a publishing niche.

A scandal in France reveals that large sums of money intended for cancer research have been misdirected. Scientists and government alike have failed colleagues and the public.

The increases in Japan's budgets for science are welcome. But better management and supervision are also required.

Despite stupendous advances in the past 50 years, Western governments' support of research for its own sake is on the wane. The new year is an appropriate time for researchers and policy-makers to consider the implications and make some resolutions.