How ‘evidence-based policy’ has to mean ‘ethics-based policy’

Anne Schwenkenbecher (Murdoch University)

Abstract: In order for evidence-based policy (EBP) to make good on its commitment to a solid scientific evidence base it must be just as committed to a solid ethical (or values) base. We support this claim in two steps. First, we argue that which evidence gets used in policy-making depends on our ethical commitments, which are rarely made explicit, let alone being the subject of critical and transparent reflection. In other words, ethical commitments are not just important at the point of spelling out specific policy details and choosing between policy options but they are absolutely essential right from the very beginning of the policy-making process: all the way from deciding which problem should be addressed by policy or regulation to determining which evidence to use and where to look for it. Second, in order to determine when we have enough evidence, we need to take into account relevant moral considerations. Thus, whether or not any particular policy is adequate by EBP’s own standard­—being evidence-based­—cannot be decided without appeal to moral considerations.