The value of science is legitimatized by the idea of knowledge production and knowledge developments in openness and for public interest. These legitimatizing interests are since long increasingly eroded. Environmental and health issues are prime areas where concerns are raised and scientific bias because other interests seem to take charge as driving force within science.
Problems occur when scientific integrity dissolves.
Such integrity starts to dissolve already in the sensitivity for what is good for a scientific career. Below you will find links to discussions on the need for scientific integrity, sources of scientific bias, and, not the least, on what public interest may be as opposed to vested interests. An important concept in counteracting the overriding of public interest for vested interests is public accountability . For an introduction see the Canadian example Citizens's Circle for Accountability . Expertise and biased science are important tools in the manipulation process of decision making.