ArticleEnvironmental health perspectives2001
The precautionary principle in environmental science.
Article in Environmental health perspectives, 2001. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 111 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
111 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Evaluation of the evidence on acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental disorders using the Navigation Guide methodology.Environmental health : a global access science source · 2025Pooled it
- Masks and respirators for prevention of respiratory infections: a state of the science review.Clinical microbiology reviews · 2024Pooled it
- The consequences of null model selection for predicting mortality from multiple stressors.Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2021Pooled it
- Microplastic Contamination of Seafood Intended for Human Consumption: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Environmental health perspectives · 2020Pooled it
- Pooled it
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- Embedding Chemistry and Pharmacy Into Sustainability.Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) · 2026Review
- Development and validation of the environmental parenting scale: a precaution theory-based measure of preventive parenting behaviours.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Starting Two or More Drugs Concurrently in Primary Care: How Often Is It Done, How Often Is It Needed?Journal of general internal medicine · 2026Article
- The Cat Is Already Out of the Bag: Humane and Pragmatic Solutions for Cats on Dairy Farms. Reply to Calver et al. It's Premature to Encourage Working Cats for Rodent Control on Australian Dairy Farms.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026Article
- Exploratory conversations with biodiversity-oriented civil society groups on the potential applications of gene drive-modified mosquitoes for malaria control in Tanzania.Transgenic research · 2026Article
- [The precautionary principle in preventive actions: considerations on an absence].Cadernos de saude publica · 2026Article
- Green toxicology only becomes beautiful through AI.Frontiers in chemistry · 2026Review
- Science for Pandemic Preparedness: A Precautionary Framework.Journal of evaluation in clinical practice · 2025Article
- Rethinking gene-edited crop regulation: advancing a Principle-based framework for modern biotechnology governance.GM crops & food · 2025Review
- Divergent responses of native predators to severe wildfire and biological invasion are mediated by life history.Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America · 2025Article
- Improving the Hydrophobicity of Powder Activated Carbon to Enhance the Adsorption Kinetics of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances.ACS ES&T water · 2025Article
- Evidence Communication Rules for Policy (ECR-P) critical appraisal tool.Systematic reviews · 2025Article
- Asking Different Questions: Development and implementation of Clinical and Translational Science Award diversity, equity, and inclusion and community engagement training course for TL1 scholars.Journal of clinical and translational science · 2025Article
51 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Environmental scientists play a key role in society's responses to environmental problems, and many of the studies they perform are intended ultimately to affect policy. The precautionary principle, proposed as a new guideline in environmental decision making, has four central components: taking preventive action in the face of uncertainty; shifting the burden of proof to the proponents of an activity; exploring a wide range of alternatives to possibly harmful actions; and increasing public participation in decision making. In this paper we examine the implications of the precautionary principle for environmental scientists, whose work often involves studying highly complex, poorly understood systems, while at the same time facing conflicting pressures from those who seek to balance economic growth and environmental protection. In this complicated and contested terrain, it is useful to examine the methodologies of science and to consider ways that, without compromising integrity and objectivity, research can be more or less helpful to those who would act with precaution. We argue that a shift to more precautionary policies creates opportunities and challenges for scientists to think differently about the ways they conduct studies and communicate results. There is a complicated feedback relation between the discoveries of science and the setting of policy. While maintaining their objectivity and focus on understanding the world, environmental scientists should be aware of the policy uses of their work and of their social responsibility to do science that protects human health and the environment. The precautionary principle highlights this tight, challenging linkage between science and policy.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.