Research evidence can do harm when it’s not positioned in the context of the full body of knowledge relevant to a particular policy issue. And research evidence needs to be considered alongside the many other factors that influence the policymaking process, including institutional constraints, interest group pressure, and values, among others. Evidence briefs provide a context-specific approach to assembling all of the relevant data and research evidence to clarify a policy problem and its causes, frame options to address the problem, and identify implementation considerations. Stakeholder dialogues (or deliberative dialogue more generally) provide a context-specific approach to putting the research evidence alongside all of the other factors that will influence policymaking. John Lavis will describe the rationale for these strategies, what’s known about them, and how they fit into broader efforts to support evidence-informed policymaking.

Prof. Dr. John N. Lavis, MD

Canada Research Chair in Evidence-Informed Health Systems, Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada