TY - JOUR AU - Amoretti, Maria Cristina AU - Lalumera, Elisabetta PY - 2022/04/26 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Reviewing the Reproduction Number R in Covid-19 Models JF - Philosophy of Medicine JA - philmed VL - 3 IS - 1 SE - Philosophical Perspectives on Covid-19 DO - 10.5195/pom.2022.78 UR - https://philmed.pitt.edu/philmed/article/view/78 SP - AB - <p><span lang="EN-US">Most of the epidemiological models of the Covid-19 pandemic contain the <em>reproduction number (R)</em> as a parameter. In this article we focus on some shortcomings regarding its role in driving health policies and political decisions. First, we summarize what <em>R</em> is and what it is used for. Second, we introduce a three-question matrix for the evaluation of any construct or parameter within a model. We then review the main literature about <em>R</em> to highlight some of its shortcomings and apply to them our three-question matrix. Finally, we argue that these shortcomings are important for an epistemic and political evaluation of <em>R.</em></span></p> ER -