Science Advisory Mechanisms, Policy Responsiveness, and Pandemic Governance Committees: Panel Analysis

Abstract

The integration of scientific expertise into public policymaking is a critical determinant of state capacity during global health crises. This paper presents a comprehensive panel analysis of science advisory mechanisms and their direct impact on policy responsiveness within pandemic governance committees across diverse institutional settings. Drawing upon a novel dataset encompassing thirty industrialized nations over a twenty-four-month period, the study investigates how structural variations in scientific advisory bodies influence the speed, proportionality, and sustainability of governmental policy interventions. By employing a two-way fixed effects regression model, the research controls for unobserved national heterogeneity and temporal shocks. The empirical findings reveal that committees characterized by high structural independence and institutionalized transparency significantly reduce the temporal lag between epidemiological signaling and policy enactment. Furthermore, the presence of multidisciplinary expertise within these committees enhances the proportionality of non-pharmaceutical interventions, thereby optimizing public compliance and mitigating socio-economic disruptions. The study also identifies critical bottlenecks, notably the politicization of advisory outputs, which demonstrably diminishes policy responsiveness. Ultimately, this research contributes to the broader literature on crisis management and public administration by providing empirical validation for the necessity of resilient boundary organizations. The insights derived from this analysis offer actionable frameworks for policymakers aiming to institutionalize effective science-to-policy translation mechanisms in anticipation of future global health emergencies.