I do think the general issue is valid, and worth discussing on the EBH list. 

I don't think scientists, and clinical scientists/ clinical epidemiologists can ignore the social and political context.

Keep in mind that there is tremendous opposition within the US, and specifically in the science and medical/ health care communities to the travel ban. 

Finally, I don't see how it would help this opposition to do a blanket boycott of all US scientific meetings.  It might even help the Trump administration's  propaganda machine.

On Mon, Feb 6, 2017 at 7:14 PM, Sachin Dave <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Please stop using Evidence Based Health for your personal political agenda. Period. Did you plan stopping presentations in the rest of the countries where Human Rights records are awful and shameful? Did you suggest you or your colleagues not go to present in China, Pakistan, Bangladesh ?

This type of propaganda does not belong here and is a big mud sling on the awesome academic community of USA wha have nothing to do with President Trump's policy.


On Monday, February 6, 2017 5:01 PM, Juan Gérvas <[log in to unmask]> wrote:


-thanks, Terry, Alan, Glen, Ami, Aicken, Norman and David
-yes, the boycott is a highly political proposal, i know, but science (and EBM) so
-i took my time to send the link because my concerns and in fact a beg your pardon in case i offended any of you (silent colleagues included)
-i recognize that there are good reasons to join and to oppose the boycott proposal http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/02/scientists-urge-boycott-us-meetings
-but we cannot ignore "the world", we are not object but subject so we need to react in front of something that “...fundamentally disrupts the ability of universities and academics to contribute to research and education. It’s going back to an era (reminiscent of) World War Two.” http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/academics-boycott-us-conferences-over-trump-travel-ban/news-story/11b17a7bce9c223f9fafb4c1dc9b69a4
-as a Canadian colleague, "I see little difference between the U.S.A. today and apartheid South Africa in terms of ethics and morals.” https://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2017/01/31/canadian-academics-boycott-us-conferences-over-trump-ban.html
-by the way, the boycott could go futher, to stop reviewing scientific articles in US-based journalshttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/scientists-protest-trump-order-with-boycotts-of-journals-conferences/
-un saludo juan gérvas @JuanGrvas

2017-02-06 22:51 GMT+01:00 Birnbaum, David <[log in to unmask]>:
Catherine, Ami and others make very valid points about this issue impacting specific colleagues as well as hampering essential international collaborations among all healthcare and biomedical science researchers, professional societies and journals, and humanitarian aid agencies.  That establishes a pragmatic reason for this topic to be within scope for discussion in this forum.  However, I suggest there is another fundamental aspect, as yet unmentioned, which gives standing to an important community within this forum - public health.  According to the 1997 Jakarta Declaration on Leading Health Promotion into the 21st Century, “The prerequisites for health are peace, shelter, education, social security, social relations, food, income, the empowerment of women, a stable eco-system, sustainable resource use, social justice, respect for human rights, and equity.  Above all, poverty is the greatest threat to health.”  IMHO, this obliges us to invite discussion on evidence-informed best actions related to the current situation.
 
David
------------------------------ -
David Birnbaum, PhD, MPH
Adjunct Professor
School of Population and Public Health
University of British Columbia
Principal
Applied Epidemiology
British Columbia, Canada






--
Roy M. Poses MD FACP
President
Foundation for Integrity and Responsibility in Medicine (FIRM)
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Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine
Alpert Medical School, Brown University
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