OMB Seeks Public Comment On Revised Peer Review Guidelines OMB has made significant changes to its proposed peer review guidelines for federal agencies. The revised peer review guidelines have been published for public comment. After review of comment on the revised guidelines, OMB intends to publish final peer review guidelines for federal agencies by the end of 2004. According to OMB, the current draft guidelines contain the following major changes from the initial draft guidelines:

• They provide in the preamble a more extensive discussion of why government-wide peer review guidance is needed;



• They provide more discretion to federal agencies in determining what type of peer review mechanism is appropriate for specific information products;



• They provide exemptions for time-sensitive medical, public health and safety information and other compelling circumstances;



• They indicate that the guidance does not create any new rights for litigation against federal agencies;



• They define a more transparent process for public participation in peer review planning; and;



• They require the most rigorous form of peer review only for highly influential scientific assessments.