A member of the Ontario COVID-19 Science and Modeling tables has resigned, citing political influence.
Dr. David Fisman posted his resignation letter to Dr. Adalsteinn Brown on Twitter this morning.
In it he writes, "...it was always going to be a challenge to balance the best scientific guidance with what is politically possible. That these tables achieved this for as long as they did was quite remarkable. More recently, I find myself increasingly uncomfortable with the degree to which political considerations appear to be driving outputs from the tables, or at least the degree to which these outputs are shared in a transparent manner with the public."
Fisman writes, "Ontario needs a public health system that is arm's length from politics."
A spokesperson for the science table says the group is independent of government and always has been.
Fisman has notably spoken out against some of the decisions and statements made by the tables during the course of the pandemic.
Over the weekend he said the Ontario Science Table has important modelling work that 'projects a grim fall' and didn't understand why it wasn't being released.
It is with mixed emotions that I have decided to resign from Ontario’s science and modeling tables. I wish every success to the colleagues who remain on these tables. Ontario needs a public health system that is arm’s length from politics. pic.twitter.com/Yq20W1Omog
— David Fisman (@DFisman) August 23, 2021