The New Zealand Society for Oncology hosts its annual meeting next week, which includes a free public plenary at St David’s Complex Theatre.
The plenary will feature talks from Dr Ashani Weeraratna, a leading science adviser in the Biden administration, and University of Otago vice-chancellor Grant Robertson.
In a session titled "Speaking up and speaking out: advancing science in a polarised world", Dr Weeraratna will talk about the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the need to provide correct information when rolling out the immunisation programme.
Mr Robertson will talk about his time as minister of finance at the height of the pandemic, their government’s successes and lessons learned.
University of Otago professor of oncology Chris Jackson said it was an honour Dr Weeraratna and Mr Robertson would speak to that subject, because of its importance.
"We’re dealing with the disinformation even now, and sunlight isn’t always the best-use disinfectant."
Prof Jackson said he was also concerned by the lack of international and national funding streams to undertake leading research.
"As leading cancer specialists and research scientists, we are genuinely concerned at some of the global trends in healthcare policy, with specialist advice being disregarded or minimised in favour of populism or discredited ideas from popular culture.
"This was rife through the pandemic with things like the unproven and strongly discredited promotion of ivermectin, the reduction in funding of the US National Institute of Health and the major limitation on academic freedoms seen in the US."
These global trends were affecting research in New Zealand, he said.
"Only this week we have seen another very specious suggestion from a country’s leader about the spurious link between a common medication and health outcomes, stoking the fears of the vulnerable."
Prof Jackson said he was "optimistic" the mood could change.
Dr Weeraratna and Dr Robertson will be at the St David’s Complex Theatre on Wednesday from 7.30pm, while the conference takes place across Dunedin from October 9 to 11.
