Il ruolo dell’etica negli sviluppi della citizen science a partire da uno studio sul campo di epidemiologia ambientale

The article focuses on the ethics involved in citizen science research in the field of the environmental epidemiology. Some considerations are proposed in an attempt to redefine the relationship between science and society in democratic forms of life. A case study is considered in which citizens collaborate as active subjects together with researchers in co-designing, co-implementing, and co-interpreting the results of an environmental epidemiological study and co-identifying possible public actions. The aim is to show that this form of collaboration in the co-creation of all phases of scientific research concerning public health, the results of which could later lead to knowledge supporting policies, makes it possible to apply the principles of autonomy and justice, and guarantee the democratic participation of all the subjects involved.