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SUMMARY:History and philosophy of regulatory science: the case of pharmace
 uticals - John Abraham (University of Sussex)
DTSTART:20090129T163000Z
DTEND:20090129T180000Z
UID:TALK14111@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Lauren Kassell
DESCRIPTION:This paper traces some of the key historical developments in t
 he modern regulatory science of pharmaceuticals\, including toxicology\, c
 linical testing\, and pharmacovigilance. Attention focuses on what can be 
 learned about regulatory science by examining both international differenc
 es in its conduct and the subsequent efforts at international harmonisatio
 n. Regulatory science is heavily influenced by social and political factor
 s\, but contrary to fashionable constructivist philosophy/sociology of sci
 ence\, this does not imply that regulatory science is simply politics by a
 nother name. By looking substantively at the history of regulatory science
 \, one can see that there are intra-scientific material aspects that are r
 elatively autonomous and/or independent of pervasive\, powerful and undeni
 ably influential extra-scientific socio-political forces. Empirical histor
 y of regulatory science is consistent with a realist\, rather than a relat
 ivist or constructivist philosophy of science.
LOCATION:Seminar Room 2\, History and Philosophy of Science\, Department o
 f
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