Public health operates in an era of unprecedented data availability and analytical sophistication, yet action on well-established health challenges is frequently delayed. We argue that evidence increasingly functions as an alibi—a means of legitimising deferral of decisions and displacing responsibility onto uncertainty rather than being a guide for decision making. Drawing on recent policy experience, we discuss how expanding evidence requirements can generate analysis paralysis, privileging refinement over implementation.
The Lancet Public Health published a clinical update in Infectious Disease on 09 Feb 2026.
The item focuses on Paralysis in public health and policy: when evidence becomes an alibi.
Review the original article for the full source wording and details.