Precautionary principle
6 Precautionary principle
If there is a perceived material risk to public health, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent, control or abate that risk.
In the application of this principle, decision‑making and action should be proportionate to the degree of public health risk and should be guided by—
a careful evaluation of what steps need to be taken to avoid, where practicable, serious harm to public health; and
an assessment of the risk‑weighted consequences of options;
and
an aim to ensure minimum disruption to an individual's activities, a community's functioning and commercial activity consistent with providing any necessary protection from identified public health risks.
The statute text is free to read above. View Pro plans to unlock the case-law research tools for each provision.