Zentrum für interdisziplinäre Forschung

How well did masks protect during the pandemic? How do the side effects of vaccination compare with the consequences of the disease? What is the impact of school closures on students’ mental health? These were some of the questions addressed by the research group “The Epistemology of Evidence-Based Policy: How Philosophy Can Facilitate the Science-Policy Interface”, which worked at ZiF from February to June 2023. This year several papers of the highly productive group have been published. We asked Dr. Emelda E. Chukwu, specialist for the epidemiology of infectious diseases, fellow of the research group and first author of the most recent study, about the meaning and relevance of evidence-based policy in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr. Chukwu, what is evidence-based policy making?

To put it simply, Evidence-based policy making (EBPM) involves creating public policies guided by reliable, objective evidence such as data, research, and factual analysis, rather than relying on intuition or tradition. Decision-makers are compelled to utilize empirical findings from various sources to shape policies that are more likely to achieve desired outcome.
However, EBPM also entails "epistemic responsibility," where decision-makers must rely on scientific research, often outside their expertise. When facing uncertainty or limited evidence, transparent methods are necessary to determine how and when new information is gathered and evaluated. These challenges lie at the heart of the science-policy relationship.

Why did you choose the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study?

Our study aimed to examine how relevant evidence has been presented in the literature, focusing on the types of evidence used in policymaking and identifying knowledge gaps for evidence-based policy making (EBPM) during public health emergencies. The COVID-19 pandemic served as an ideal case study for some key reasons.
First, the pandemic affected nearly every country and sector globally, making it a highly relevant and universal public health issue. The urgency of the crisis forced governments to make rapid decisions, often with incomplete data, underscoring the need for adaptive, data-driven policy approaches. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic exemplified a public health crisis that required a One Health approach, bringing together experts from public health, epidemiology, economics, and other fields to formulate effective responses.
Second, the varied successes and failures of countries’ responses provided valuable insights into what worked and what didn’t, as well as the unintended consequences of different policies. These learnings offer crucial lessons that can help policymakers respond more effectively to future pandemics and other crises.

The research group “The Epistemology of Evidence-Based Policy: How Philosophy Can Facilitate the Science-Policy Interface” worked at ZiF from February to June 2023.
Design: Büro Paschetag/C. Mehl

What are the main results – and are they relevant for future public health issues or other fields of evidence-based policy making?

Findings from our study revealed that the policy-relevant literature on COVID-19 primarily focused on operational policies, such as management strategies, regulations, and implementation plans. However, gaps were identified in the evidence needed for decision-making during public health emergencies, particularly regarding recovery strategies and technological solutions. While abundant evidence existed for risk assessment, infection surveillance, and response strategies (including communication), the study stresses the importance of researchers including policy impact statements in their work to enhance evidence-based policymaking. For instance, encouraging researchers to include policy impact statements can bridge the gap between research and policy implementation. This practice can enhance the uptake of scientific evidence in policymaking, ensuring that research findings directly inform decisions in public health and other fields. We concluded that successful public health emergency responses require comprehensive, interdisciplinary strategies, driven by quality research and collaboration with stakeholders.
These findings are relevant beyond public health, as evidence-based policy can apply to climate change, education, and economic development, where complex, rapidly evolving situations demand informed, data-driven responses.

Which role does interdisciplinarity play in this kind of study?

Interdisciplinarity plays a vital role in evidence-based policy making, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was a collaborative effort across diverse fields—philosophy, political science, environmental toxicology, law, and biomedical sciences—engaging directly with policymakers to examine the challenges, successes, and failures in acquiring and integrating evidence into public policy, with a focus on environmental biosecurity and pandemic response. Contributions from the various disciplines were key to understanding the complexities of evidence-based policymaking during a crisis.
By adopting an interdisciplinary approach, a more comprehensive understanding of complex issues—often viewed as "wicked problems"—emerges, enabling policymakers to better account for the health, economic, and social dimensions of their decisions.
The pandemic has shown that innovative solutions frequently arise at the intersection of different fields; for example, combining technology with epidemiology spurred advances in contact tracing apps. Therefore, incorporating diverse perspectives and expertise through interdisciplinary collaboration strengthens evidence-based policymaking, allowing for more holistic and effective solutions to complex problems.

Original publication:
Emelda E Chukwu, Katie Woolaston, Ricardo Kaufer, Alejandro Bortolus, Chad L Hewitt, Evangelina Schwindt, Temitope O Sogbanmu, Anne Schwenkenbecher, Hannah Rubin, Helena Slanickova, Mike D Schneider, Remco Heesen, Veli Mitova (2024): Examining self-described policy-relevant evidence base for policymaking: an evidence map of COVID-19 literature. BMJ Public Health 2024;2. https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/2/2/e000694.