Title: Ethical Considerations in Wastewater-Based Pathogen Surveillance
Abstract
Wastewater surveillance (WWS) is an emerging public health tool used to monitor the spread of infectious diseases by analyzing sewage for pathogen signals. While WWS enables early detection and timely intervention, it also raises ethical concerns around privacy, equity, and data use, particularly when sampling from small or marginalized communities.
This project examines how leading public health institutions—including the World Health Organization, European Union, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Canadian federal agencies—approach the ethical governance of wastewater-based pathogen surveillance. Through comparative policy and ethics analysis, the project identifies key principles such as privacy protection, transparency, equity, and community engagement.
The goal is to propose a unified ethical framework that can guide responsible data collection and sharing practices, especially in contexts where formal regulation is limited. This research contributes to broader conversations around the responsible use of population-level health data and the ethical design of public health infrastructure.
Research Objectives & Questions
Primary Objective:
- To develop a globally informed ethical framework for the governance of wastewater-based pathogen surveillance.
Secondary Objective:
- To examine and compare how international bodies conceptualize privacy, equity, and accountability in WWS.
- To assess the limitations of current regulatory structures in addressing community-level harms.
Background
Wastewater-based epidemiology has gained global traction, especially after COVID-19. Institutions like the CDC and WHO have promoted WWS as a surveillance tool, but few have established concrete ethical safeguards. Prior research highlights risks such as stigmatization and misuse of community data. This project builds on those findings to propose actionable ethical strategies grounded in real-world guidance.
Methodology
The project uses comparative ethics and policy analysis. I review publicly available documents, policy briefs, and ethical frameworks from international health agencies. I then distill shared values and identify areas of divergence or absence.
Potential Impact
This research supports the responsible expansion of wastewater surveillance by offering clear ethical guidance. It may inform policymakers, public health officials, and academic researchers in designing equitable, privacy-conscious systems that maintain public trust.
Resources & Support Needed
Feedback from policymakers, researchers, and practitioners in public health ethics would further strengthen the project.
I’m a sophomore at Georgetown University’s College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Biology of Global Health on the pre-med track. My interests lie at the intersection of medicine, bioethics, and global health, particularly in understanding how cultural barriers shape access to care. I’m especially passionate about migrant health and clinical ethics, and hope to one day integrate these values into my work as a physician and health advocate.
This summer, I’m working in collaboration with the Pathogen Data Network and the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. My research explores the ethical challenges of wastewater surveillance (WWS), a public health tool used to monitor infectious disease transmission through community wastewater. While WWS offers important benefits as an early warning system, it also raises concerns about privacy, data governance, and the equitable treatment of communities under surveillance.
My research draws on ethical guidance from the World Health Organization, European Union, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Canadian federal agencies. Through comparative analysis, this work aims to propose a unified ethical framework that embeds privacy protections, fosters community trust, and ensures fair, transparent governance in the use of pathogen data.
In my free time, I enjoy creative writing, strolling through D.C.’s historic neighborhoods, and curling up in bed with a good horror movie.
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