Many physicians attended the March for Science with thousands of people this past weekend in Washington, D.C., according to Medscape.
Here's what five physicians had to say:
American Public Health Association Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD, said, "A nation that ignores science, that denies science, that under-funds science, does so at its own peril. We cannot allow this to happen. We need to ensure that data and evidence drive policy-making, not uniformed ideology."
Hurley Pediatrics Program Director and march co-chair Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, who exposed Flint, Michigan's water contamination crisis in 2015 said, "Flint is what happens when we dismiss science, when we dismiss experts, when we dismiss people, and when saving money is more important than public health."
Retired ophthalmologist Gerald Rogell, MD, of Rockville, Md., said, "Until just recently, it would have been unbelievable that our government could be dominated by people so completely scornful of scientific findings and so ready to run the country based on irrational beliefs and wishful thinking."
Internal medicine and pediatric specialist Hemal N. Sampat, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital said, "National policy is set by people in law and business…. We need our perspective as well. I'm hoping that we get more involvement in national, state and regional politics from people in science and medical fields."
March co-organizer Caroline Weinberg, MD, said the March for Science organization will roll over "into education outreach and policy, getting scientists into the community to break down barriers and build dialog."
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