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Editorial: Protecting human health and the environment more important than corporate profits
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10, 2004

The precautionary principle can be thought of as actions taken to protect human health and the environment should take precedence over action that taken for increased profits and economic development.

There is an old saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Apparently this sage advice does not hold much sway for the modern scientific world.

There is enormous complexity of individual systems are compounded by the interactions of multiple systems. Yet, particularly the economic system does not want to acknowledge the necessity of interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving let alone absorb any of the material costs of any undertaking to understand and solve a problem.

In the name of global economic competition, the goal of science has been perverted for the sake of higher profits. People's well-being just don't hold a high place of consideration when deciding what to profit from.

Compounding this kind of problem at the state level (Mississippi in my opinion anyway) is the common thinking of policy makers that issues are so complex that we just don't need to fool with them.

The mercury issue and the mad-cow disease are two examples in this day's media that point out the complexity and interdisciplinary nature of problems. But in each case, some association representing the expected economic losses downplay the concern and finding of experts with statements like "non-scientific and misguided."

The "precautionary principle" is much debated in the scientific community and there is little consensus on the definition of the principle. In a general sense, however, the precautionary principle can be thought of as actions taken to protect human health and the environment should take precedence over action that taken for increased profits and economic development.

What always amazes me is that any individual in a position of leadership or responsibility will generally agree that human health and well-being is much more important than profits and economic growth. But put many of those leaders in a corporate setting and the decisions will come out exactly the opposite.

The scientific community must become more interdisciplinary and cautious in the applications of science to economic development.