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Regulatory Science: The Maturation of an Evolving Scientific Discipline

Authors

  • Dennis McBride Institute for Regulatory Science
  • A. Alan Moghissi Institute for Regulatory Science
  • Tomoko Steen Institute for Regulatory Science & Georgetown University
  • Richard Calderone Georgetown University
  • Jean Pierre Auffret Institute for Regulatory Science
  • Lisa Jaeger Georgetown University
  • Liwei Sarah Xu Institute for Regulatory Science
  • Carolyn Wixson McBride Institute for Regulatory Science

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21423/JRS.REGSCI.111272

Keywords:

history and status of regulatory science

Abstract

Regulatory science encompasses the participation of a large array of scientific disciplines involved in the regulatory process. Although each discipline addresses different phenomenology and exploits different methodologies, the common scientific core is the same:  objective pursuit of verifiable and useful knowledge.  This paper updates the definition and scope of the practice of regulatory science, starting with a concise historical overview. It then examines the different phases of regulatory science applications: initial, exploratory, and standard operating. The paper also reviews the definitions of regulatory science used by various agencies and provides abbreviated scientific definitions. The paper summarizes Best Available Regulatory Science (BARS) and Metrics for Evaluation of Scientific Claims (MERSC), along with key elements and tools of regulatory science: peer review; regulatory science ethics, including the so-called Jeffersonian principle; mathematical models; cost benefit analysis; and stakeholder participation. The paper concludes with a brief description of these key tools and elements, highlighting their importance in the field of regulatory science.

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Journal of Regulatory Science Volume 11, Issue 1

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Published

2023-11-14 — Updated on 2023-11-14

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Issue

Vol. 11 No. 1 (2023)

Section

Policy Commentaries

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Copyright (c) 2023 Dennis McBride, A. Alan Moghissi, Tomoko Steen, Richard Calderone, Jean Pierre Auffret, Lisa Jaeger, Sarah Xu, Carolyn Wixson McBride

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