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© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to
Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
L. Westra et al. (eds.), Ecological Integrity in Science and Law,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46259-8_7
Epidemiology and Public Health Under
Siege: In Whose Best Interests?
Colin L. Soskolne
Abstract Epidemiology is a core science that informs the development of rational
public health policy. The obligation of epidemiologists, as part of the community of
health scientists, is to protect public health and safety from established, as well as
suspected avoidable harms. This obligation is discussed in the context of ecological
and related environmental damage. It underscores why ecological integrity is a concern for those in public health and, indeed, with the survival of our species.
Because health protection is central to public health’s mission, the four-level
framework for the prevention of disease and premature death is considered; namely:
Primordial, Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Prevention. The first two of these are
more related to concerns for ecological integrity, tying nicely into preventing our
species’ demise and possible extinction.
Being an applied, soft science, epidemiology provides the core scientific methods for health protection. Epidemiological evidence—coming from a soft science—
can be influenced by interests that manipulate the scientific method to cast doubt,
thus fomenting uncertainty designed to mislead both the public and policy-makers.
Because of this, some ethical and practical dimensions of influence that result in
delayed policy action are identified, to help us better control influences that derail
science counter to the public interest.
Some examples highlight the challenges posed, making the solutions that follow
more tractable. To protect the public interest and better ensure the sustainability of
life on Earth, the need for vigilance by professionals with the capacity to speak truth
to power is noted. Additionally emphasized is the need to train students to diagnose
scientific misconduct and to devise and provide effective strategies for calling it to
account.
C. L. Soskolne (*)
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
e-mail: colin.soskolne@ualberta.ca
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to
Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
L. Westra et al. (eds.), Ecological Integrity in Science and Law,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46259-8_7
Epidemiology and Public Health Under
Siege: In Whose Best Interests?
Colin L. Soskolne
Abstract Epidemiology is a core science that informs the development of rational
public health policy. The obligation of epidemiologists, as part of the community of
health scientists, is to protect public health and safety from established, as well as
suspected avoidable harms. This obligation is discussed in the context of ecological
and related environmental damage. It underscores why ecological integrity is a concern for those in public health and, indeed, with the survival of our species.
Because health protection is central to public health’s mission, the four-level
framework for the prevention of disease and premature death is considered; namely:
Primordial, Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Prevention. The first two of these are
more related to concerns for ecological integrity, tying nicely into preventing our
species’ demise and possible extinction.
Being an applied, soft science, epidemiology provides the core scientific methods for health protection. Epidemiological evidence—coming from a soft science—
can be influenced by interests that manipulate the scientific method to cast doubt,
thus fomenting uncertainty designed to mislead both the public and policy-makers.
Because of this, some ethical and practical dimensions of influence that result in
delayed policy action are identified, to help us better control influences that derail
science counter to the public interest.
Some examples highlight the challenges posed, making the solutions that follow
more tractable. To protect the public interest and better ensure the sustainability of
life on Earth, the need for vigilance by professionals with the capacity to speak truth
to power is noted. Additionally emphasized is the need to train students to diagnose
scientific misconduct and to devise and provide effective strategies for calling it to
account.
C. L. Soskolne (*)
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
e-mail: colin.soskolne@ualberta.ca