The precautionary principle and scientific research are not antithetical.

The precautionary principle and scientific research are not antithetical.

The Precautionary Principle is intended to protect human health and the environment. To serve these goals effectively, precautionary action must be coupled with concurrent research to decide whether the action taken is in fact protective.

The Precautionary Principle and Scientific Evidence

Implications of the Precautionary Principle in research and policy-making.

The Precautionary Principle (PP) has recently been formally introduced into national and international law. The key element is the justification for acting in the face of uncertainty. The PP is thereby a tool for avoiding possible future harm associated with suspected, but not conclusive, environmental risks. Under the PP, the burden of proof is shifted from demonstrating the presence of risk t...

The Precautionary Principle and Environmental Breast Cancer Research

The precautionary principle implies the need for research paradigms that contribute to “strength of the evidence” assessments of the plausibility of health effects when scientific uncertainty is likely to persist and prevention is the underlying goal. Previous discussions of science that informs precautionary decision-making are augmented by examining three activist-initiated breast cancer and ...

Standing and the Precautionary Principle