How understanding the diversity of perspectives and systems in governments can increase the impact of scientific research
Abstract The COVID-19 crisis required scientists worldwide to contribute to complex, hectic, and unfamiliar governmental decision-processes. In this Perspective, we reflect on this intense interaction between science and health policy for pandemic response, drawing from the experience of infectious disease modellers across the world. We highlight the diversity of actors and interests in government, aiming to demystify the elusive ‘policy makers’. We present a general taxonomy to help research scientists more effectively support evidence-based policy. We stress the importance of building and maintaining relationships appropriate to the diverse pool of government actors. Not recognising this diversity may lead to miscommunication and reduce the positive impacts of scientific evidence for public policy in crisis and non-crisis situations.
Authors
- Louise Dyson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9788-4858)
- James M. McCaw (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2452-3098)
- Francisco J. Pérez‐Reche (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5663-5249)
- Amira Kebir (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6737-6868)
- Hans Heesterbeek (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8537-6418)
- Liza Hadley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1288-5080)
- Julia R. Gog (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1240-7214)
- Denis Mollison (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4014-3431)
- Slimane Ben Miled (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2390-4892)
- Emily Howerton (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0639-3728)
- SM Thumbi
- Cécile Tran-Kiem
- Michael J. Plank
- Robin N. Thompson
- Stephen M. Kissler
- Valerie Isham
- Hannah E. Clapham
- Bimandra A. Djaafara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7481-2624)
- Kathy Leung
- Matt Keeling
- Chris Erwin G. Mercado
- Emma McBryde
- Lorenzo Pellis
- Edward M. Hill
- Wirichada Pan-ngum
- Sebastian Funk
- Justin Lessler
Institutions
- Tunis University (TN)
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
- University of Nairobi (KE)
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- University of Liverpool (GB)
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- National University of Singapore (SG)
- King's College London (GB)
- University of Canterbury (NZ)
- University of Colorado Boulder (US)
- Utrecht University (NL)
- University of Aberdeen (GB)
- Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HK)
- Princeton University (US)
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HK)
- University of Manchester (GB)
- University of Indonesia (ID)
- Heriot-Watt University (GB)
- University of Warwick (GB)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Fred Hutch Cancer Center (US)
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (GB)
- Hong Kong Jockey Club (HK)
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (TH)
- University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital (CN)
- Institut Pasteur de Tunis (TN)
- National University Health System (SG)
- Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections at University of Liverpool (GB)
- Te Pūnaha Matatini
- University College London (GB)
- Tunis El Manar University (TN)
- Washington State University (US)
- University of Hong Kong (HK)
- University of Edinburgh (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Communications Health
- Published
- 2026-07-22
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44528-026-00009-2
- Primary Topic
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00