VACCINE

EMBO Reports • March 2013
Scientific dissent and public policy.
Is targeting dissent a reasonable way
to protect sound policy decisions?
Author information
de Melo-Martín I1, Intemann K.
Division of Medical Ethics
Department of Public Health
Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA
imd2001@med.cornell.edu
The temptation to silence dissenters whose non-mainstream views negatively
affect public policies is powerful. However, silencing dissent,
no matter how scientifically unsound it might be, can cause the public
to mistrust science in general. Dissent is crucial for the advancement of
science. Disagreement is at the heart of peer review and is important for
uncovering unjustified assumptions, flawed methodologies and problematic
reasoning.
“Dissent is crucial
for the advancement of science.
Disagreement is at the heart
of peer review and is important
for uncovering unjustified
assumptions, flawed
methodologies and
problematic reasoning.”
Full Report
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3589084