Epidemiology in Evidence-Based Policy

2 Credits.

Focus on how scientific evidence in general and epidemiologic studies in particular are used to inform health and regulatory policies. Reviews the role of scientists and epidemiologists in translating evidence to practice and policy; examines how science fares in the legislative, regulatory, and judicial settings; addresses methodological issues related to types and availability of evidence to guide policy. Topics include nutrition recommendations (e.g. population-wide sodium intake), environmental policies; opioid epidemic (e.g. safe injection sites); tobacco control and e-cigarettes; health disparity (e.g., racial disparities in kidney transplantation); diabetes prevention; legal and policy implications of class action lawsuits (e.g., gun policy and local food policy); COVID-19 (e.g., evidence-informed policy making during a pandemic); and modelling to guide policy. Guest faculty, experts in their field, present examples, discuss their experiences using evidence to guide policy.