Bite gets its teeth into science and evidence

Monday 13 June 2011

What do we mean when we say that the Agency is science and evidence-based? The current issue of Bite, which you can now read online, looks in depth at how this core value influences the Agency’s work and policy-making.

An overview sets the scene by looking at how science is fighting back against pseudoscience and asks whether the Agency has played a role in this.

Detailed articles highlight how risk assessments underpin the Agency’s policy-making, how the its scientists set out to fill the gaps in food safety knowledge, and how research can result in practical guidance.

The Agency is also aware that checks and challenge are necessary to combat complacency. The General Advisory Committee on Science challenges the Agency to ensure it gets the ‘right science’, as well as getting the ‘science right’. The Social Science Research Committee advises the Agency on its use of social science. Representatives of these and other committees explain how they formulate the independent advice they offer.

Sister organisations from Europe set out some science manifestos from across the Channel and, to complete this challenging issue, we publish a forthright exchange of views on the use and control of hazardous chemicals.

The magazine is available at the link below.