The Primacy of Politics: the rise and fall of evidence-based public health policy?

Bambra, C.

doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdt113

The Primacy of Politics: the rise and fall of evidence-based public health policy?

Bambra, C.

Authors

C. Bambra

Abstract

This editorial reflects on the apparent rise and the potential fall of the use of evidence in English public health policy. Over the last 20 years, there has been increasing reference to evidence within policy circles both nationally and locally. However, in 2013, a series of national decisions about plain packaging, alcohol pricing and the NHS Health Checks scheme, as well as the move of public health into local authorities, have acted as reminders of the long-standing cultural differences between researchers and policy-makers and the primacy of political priorities. This editorial reflects on these issues and concludes by discussing the future prospects of evidence-based public health policy and the normative relationship between evidence and politics in a democratic system.

Citation

Bambra, C. (2013). The Primacy of Politics: the rise and fall of evidence-based public health policy?. Journal of Public Health, 35(4), 486-487. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdt113

Journal Article Type	Article
Publication Date	Dec 1, 2013
Deposit Date	Apr 8, 2014
Publicly Available Date	Jun 20, 2014
Journal	Journal of Public Health
Print ISSN	1741-3842
Electronic ISSN	1741-3850
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	35
Issue	4
Pages	486-487
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdt113

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This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Public Health. following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Clare Bambra (2013) The primacy of politics: the rise and fall of evidence-based public health policy?
Journal Public Health, 35 (4): 486-487 is available online at: http://jpubhealth.oxfordjournals.org/content/35/4/486.