Epidemiology Societies Speak Out Against Trump Travel Ban
A call to action was
issued in Science in February after President Trump's immigration ban
was characterized as “a jolt across the global scientific enterprise”.
Rush Holt, Executive Officer of the American Association for
the Advancement of Science told scientists “taking action is the best
course when science is threatened or when science can illuminate
public issues. Scientists should not fool themselves with the
misconception that politics is dirty compared to the scientific
enterprise, and they should therefore avoid the fight. Nor should
scientists think that by standing back and letting the facts speak for
themselves, they allow reason to prevail and proponents of flawed
policies to wilt.”
The 21 member Joint Policy Committee of the
Epidemiology Societies has taken action up this call to action to
point out the negative effects of President Trump’s travel ban on the
promotion of health and the control of outbreaks.
Among the negative consequences of the travel ban, the
epidemiology group listed the following:
1.
The Order prevents travel for scientists and public health officials
from six predominantly Muslim countries. The order threatens to erode
the collaborative foundation of science and has already adversely
impacted the work of scientists in these countries.
2. The Order prevents travel of epidemiologists and scientists
who are focused on eliminating suffering and death from preventable
causes. The
Order may increase poor health outcomes— particularly
in war-torn countries which may need the most assistance. In addition,
the prevention of travel also prevents the open exchange of
observations and information vital to quickly and effectively respond
to disease outbreaks.
3.
The Order may also adversely hamper the ability of the USA to respond
quickly to infectious disease outbreaks. Having epidemiologists in the
USA with the cultural knowledge of countries which may need assistance
is paramount to initiating an effective first response to outbreaks
before they spread further. The public’s health is dependent on a
functioning scientific research community that can respond quickly and
work effectively across boundaries.
4.
The Order erodes basic scientific principles of trust and the open
exchange of ideas. The restricted movement of scientists based solely
on their national, ethnic or religious affiliation is unjustified. The
ban undermines the scientific work of our IJPC-SE member societies and
other professional organizations. The Order erodes the trust and
partnerships the USA has with leading scientific communities around
the world.
The IJPC-SE calls upon the USA to preserve the right of scientists to
travel, collaborate, attend conferences, and enjoy free movement and
information exchange within and throughout the USA. For a copy of the
press release, visit:
https://tinyurl.com/kxkzvpd ■
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