In order for journalists to interview employees of the Food and Drug Administration, they must first ask permission of the agency—a requirement deemed unacceptable by numerous organizations representing media professionals. The groups, as well as individual reporters, sent a letter to the FDA objecting to the new FDA policy that also requires agency public information officers to listen in to interviews. “These relatively new practices hinder reporters’ ability to learn the truth by inhibiting and sometimes barring employees from providing essential information,” reads the letter.