TY - JOUR T1 - Public health decisions in the COVID-19 pandemic require more than ‘follow the science’ JF - Journal of Medical Ethics JO - J Med Ethics SP - 296 LP - 299 DO - 10.1136/medethics-2020-107134 VL - 47 IS - 5 AU - Thana Cristina de Campos-Rudinsky AU - Eduardo Undurraga Y1 - 2021/05/01 UR - http://jme.bmj.com/content/47/5/296.abstract N2 - Although empirical evidence may provide a much desired sense of certainty amidst a pandemic characterised by uncertainty, the vast gamut of available COVID-19 data, including misinformation, has instead increased confusion and distrust in authorities’ decisions. One key lesson we have been gradually learning from the COVID-19 pandemic is that the availability of empirical data and scientific evidence alone do not automatically lead to good decisions. Good decision-making in public health policy, this paper argues, does depend on the availability of reliable data and rigorous analyses, but depends above all on sound ethical reasoning that ascribes value and normative judgement to empirical facts.All data relevant to the study are included in the article. ER -