CONCLUSION

There are a lot of challenges, but I think that policy-relevant epidemiology is coming into its own. A small flood of relevant books has appeared, and several journals are taking an interest. Conferences like this one, and many of the sessions at the huge Epidemiology Congress in Toronto last year, also demonstrate the growth of this field. Being new, policy epidemiology is not highly developed, so there are plenty of methodological challenges to overcome. But that just makes it more exciting. Greater emphasis on policy-relevant topics will allow epidemiology to make an even greater contribution to the health of the population. And besides, it’s fun!

Go to Comment Form