Bayer launches new website in bid to improve transparency
Agrochemical giant Bayer has launched a new transparency website designed to enable access to scientific data needed for the evaluation of plant protection products.
Bayer has said the launch of the website is a drive in transparency, while safeguarding the company's confidential product composition and manufacturing process data.
In addition to summaries of safety-related study reports for a significant number of active substances, Bayer will start to enable non-commercial access to the respective safety-related study reports, commencing with reports on imidacloprid.
Background material such as videos and infographics are provided to help put regulatory science into context. The German giant said it wants to foster an "open and transparent" dialog.
"As conflicting accounts about the safety of food or technologies are making it difficult for people to separate fact from fiction, this Bayer initiative is an important step towards increased transparency," said Dr. Adrian Percy, global head of Research and Development for the Crop Science Division.
"By sharing safety data, which was previously only shared with authorities, we hope to connect the public with our scientific community in a way that builds trust and shows our desire to further create transparency."
"We are excited to launch our new website which also aims to support authorities around the globe by providing an alternative tool, other than filing freedom of information requests, for them to obtain the documents which underlie our registration procedures," said Dr Percy.
"We want non-commercial interested parties - from a concerned citizen to a member of the scientific community - to be able to access safety-relevant information in a way that is quick and easy to understand, so that they can base their opinions on scientific data."
Bayer's new transparency website will be updated on a regular basis. In the next phase, which is planned for early 2018, non-commercial users will be able to request access to additional full, in-depth safety-related study reports.