Science-based policymaking: the need to think holistically, realistically, and institutionally

Official URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13194-026-00721-4

This paper identifies two challenges for science-based policymaking in representative democracies and argues that both require institutional rather than individual solutions. The first arises when seeking to align value-laden choices embedded in scientific research with democratically endorsed values. The value-laden choices in different pieces of research interact once combined and can compound or offset each other. Therefore, alignment with democratically endorsed values must be assessed holistically at the level of the total body of evidence before policymakers. Since individual scientists cannot foresee or coordinate these interactions, we need institutional mechanisms to manage values at the point where advisory bodies integrate evidence from multiple sources. The second challenge emerges from the incentives of advisory body members and policymakers to shape the evidence informing policy in ways that undermine democratic accountability. Addressing this requires a realistic approach to advisory process design that accounts for actors’ incentives and constraints. Taken together, these challenges show that integrating scientific advice into policymaking in ways that uphold democratic commitments requires an institutional approach.