Title: Academic Scientists in Court: Pros or Cons? 

Steven Goodman, MD, MHS, PhD is Associate Dean of Clinical and Translational Research and Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, and Medicine. He is co-founder and co-director of the Meta-research innovation Center at Stanford (METRICS), a group dedicated to examining and improving the reproducibility and efficiency of biomedical research.

Abstract:  Most of what academics say are public. However, expert testimony they provide in court is often impossible to access. Thus, even though decisions they affect often have profound importance for public health or health policy, such experts are typically not accountable to the scientific community. This talk will review some high-profile examples, some from personal involvement,  of court testimony from leading health scientists that embrace questionable scientific principles or causes contrary to their public positions or values. Solutions to this problem will be discussed.