Ethics Curricula in Epidemiology

Abstract

This chapter looks at reasons to broaden the emphasis on ethics and epidemiology, clarifying epidemiology as a basic discipline the security and rigor of which are essential for developing an informed health policy. It argues that applied ethics can usefully guide debates in ethics and epidemiology ranging from research with human subjects and large-scale surveillance to pandemic preparedness and response. It points out how sloppy research or moral shortcomings weaken scientific conclusions and elaborates the need to instruct students and practitioners in professional practice standards and in the moral foundations of scientific inquiry. It also speculates whether flawed science has adverse health and economic consequences if it is used as a basis for public health policy. The chapter explores the extent to which incompetent science can lead to wasted public resources or poorer public health.