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Published: September 21, 2021
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Not Every Question Has a Scientific Answer
By Dr. Jay K. Varma
Published in The Atlantic on September 21, 2021
In this thoughtful op-ed, Dr. Jay K. Varma challenges a core pandemic-era assumption: that all decisions during a health crisis can—or should—be made by simply “following the science.” Drawing on his deep experience as a physician and infectious disease expert, Dr. Varma highlights how public health leaders often face decisions that are as much political and ethical as they are scientific.
Using the Biden administration’s announcement about offering third vaccine doses as a case study, Dr. Varma argues that while scientific evidence is critical, it often cannot provide a singular answer to complex societal questions—especially in a pluralistic democracy. Instead, he underscores that decisions like booster rollouts must balance public health data, equity, logistics, and political will. In doing so, Dr. Varma re-centers the role of democratic deliberation: not to override science, but to grapple with values and trade-offs that science alone cannot resolve.
The piece serves as a powerful reminder that expert guidance must inform—but not replace—political decision-making, especially during crises that impact every corner of society.
Read the full article in The Atlantic
👉 Not Every Question Has a Scientific Answer
By Dr. Jay K. Varma, published September 21, 2021
