Nobel prize-winner Harold Varmus
(Image: Keith Srakocic/AP/PA Photos)
You worked with Bill Clinton, and now Barack Obama. What about the man who came between them, George W. Bush?
It was not a good time for science, but it wasn't an unmitigated disaster. I would say two things that are often forgotten. To his credit Bush completed the doubling of the budget for the National Institutes of Health. And he did good things for global health. But there were many other things that hurt science and undermined the science advisory process. However, that era is over. We need to be clear about the fact that damage has been done, and we need to repair that damage and look ahead.
How do we repair the damage?
We've now got the chance to work with a president who has a positive vision of science and a very strong commitment to the fundamental principle that government should operate in a way that is based on rational thinking and evidence rather than dogma.
Have you spoken to the new president about science?
Yes, in general terms. He's not a trained scientist, but what we can expect from him is a deep understanding of what scientists can do for society. To solve the nation's energy problems he has named a distinguished physicist to run the department of energy. That's an amazing symbol of his conviction.
The "stimulus package" includes a strong investment in science. Wouldn't we be better off building roads and bridges?
Science is a good place to spend money. The long-term benefits are said to be about 150 per cent from government investment in science. In the short term money buys salaries, equipment and infrastructure. It's now our responsibility to find ways to use this largesse in a way that doesn't hurt us down the road by creating a cycle of boom and bust.
Profile
Harold Varmus won a Nobel prize in 1989 for his work on oncogenes. He is one of two external co-chairs of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. His book The Art and Politics of Science is published this month.
