Scientific Collaboration and Civility

During the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists have been more willing than ever to quickly share new ideas and information. Open sharing of data, collaboration, and communication has helped speed the development of new diagnostic tools, vaccines, therapies, and science-based guidelines to help control and mitigate SARS-CoV-2.

The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, the first to be activated by messenger RNA (mRNA), were made possible by the collaboration of scientists and the use of CRISPR technology. CRISPR, which stands for “clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats,” is a virus-fighting trait discovered in certain bacteria that use CRISPR-derived RNA to chop up and destroy the DNA of a foreign invader. Transferring these components into more complex organisms allows for gene editing. CRISPR technology is being used to develop COVID-19 tests that identify SARS-CoV-2 more quickly and efficiently than conventional tests.

Another example of scientific collaboration during the pandemic is the Harvard Medical School’s formation of the Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness (MassCPR), which engaged hundreds of scientists across 20 Boston-area universities, medical schools, research institutes, and teaching hospitals in collaboration with researchers in China. The purpose of MassCPR is to address the immediate implications of the current pandemic and the long-term need to prepare for the next one. The MassCPR scientists conceptualized, designed, and developed the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Collaboration is also a hallmark of AIHA’s response to the pandemic. Hundreds of generous volunteers helped develop a library of science-based, peer-reviewed guidelines on various technical topics related to the control and mitigation of SARS-CoV-2. These guidelines include the application of engineering controls such as ventilation, enhanced filtration, and physical barriers; the use of germicidal ultraviolet radiation; enhanced cleaning and disinfection practices; and many more topics relevant to issues that the public and the OEHS community face while mitigating the spread of COVID-19. These guidelines are available from the AIHA COVID-19 Resource Center. In addition, updated versions of workplace-specific guidelines were added to the Back to Work Safely website in July. Readers are encouraged to become familiar with these AIHA resources, encourage their use, and learn more about volunteering with AIHA.

DISAGREEMENT VS. DISTRUST Over the course of the pandemic, there have been progressive changes in recommended controls and a constant flow of new and sometimes conflicting scientific data. These changes have led at times to disagreements about the meaning of scientific information. Disagreements among scientists are neither new nor unexpected; scientists follow the evidence wherever it goes, and sometimes the evidence allows for more than one interpretation. As data about the current pandemic become more complete, they will help scientists more effectively prepare for future pandemics.

More troublesome than the expected scientific disagreements have been the occasions of misinformation (information presented as true but later shown to be false) and disinformation (false information intended to mislead). A flood of pandemic misinformation and disinformation, particularly on social media, has the potential to crowd out accurate public health information. One consequence of this “infodemic” is that politicians and public authorities can’t agree on the best course of action to protect people from COVID-19. The media add to the confusion as reporters and editors, perhaps encumbered by political biases, scramble to cover complex scientific issues. These influences have created uncertainty and distrust, which lead to fear, anxiety, and the dismissal of established public health measures.

THE FOUNDATION Like all scientists, OEHS professionals are taught to ask questions. This is a fundamental component of the scientific method. The need to interact with peers, share opinions, and collaborate plays a key role in any scientific or educational pursuit we undertake.