Preface

Abstract

This anthology of articles on ethics in epidemiology and public health practice substantially updates and expands the topics dealt with in the first edition of the book. The topics covered in this second edition include ethical issues in epidemiologic research, public health practice, ethics instruction, and ethics guidelines for epidemiologists. Several theoretical and applied aspects of public health ethics at public health agencies and institutions are also dealt with including general ethical principles and organizational ethics. Since the publication of the first edition of this book, there have been several notable developments in ethics, epidemiology, and public health practice. These include the publication of scholarly articles outlining the principles and terrain of public health ethics, new books on public health ethics and closely related topics, and the release of important papers on ethical issues in public health ethics (e.g., a consultation paper prepared by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics in Great Britain). However, few resources have been available that articulate ethical issues in both epidemiologic research and in public health practice.