Assessing Risks and Benefits Risk vs Benefit Tipping
Assessing Risks and Benefits
Risk vs. Benefit: Tipping the Scales
We make choices everyday…
How can risk-benefit assessment help us make better choices? • What are the risks to health? • What are the benefits to our every day living?
WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT? A process that evaluates the likelihood that adverse health effects may occur as a result of exposure to a chemical, physical, or biological agent.
Risk Assessment Data collection and evaluation Toxicity Assessment Exposure Assessment Risk Characterization
Toxicity Assessment Toxicology is the study of toxicants and their adverse effects. Adverse effects = Any change from an organism’s normal functioning.
The Dose Makes a Difference
• Different chemicals have different concentrations at which they are harmful. • Different people (depending on age, size, genetics, and other health factors) may be more sensitive to chemicals than others.
• Toxicologists study the adverse effects of toxicants at many levels: organism, organ, cell, organelle, molecule • Toxicants may interfere with the normal functioning of proteins, lipids, and DNA.
Areas of concern when studying exposure: Exposure • Frequency Assessment • Duration • Routes of entry • Distribution/storage in the body • Probability that exposure will cause adverse effects
Risk Characterization Toxicity Assessment Exposure Assessment Risk Characterization
Risk Characterization • Is an estimate of the likelihood that exposure to a toxicant may cause harm.
Risk is only part of the picture
Benefits • As part of our society, you must make decisions which assess risks, costs, benefits, and trade-offs. – Thalidomide: Leprosy treatment vs. birth defects – Pesticides: Mosquito abatement vs. toxicity
Tradeoffs • Planning to reduce risks to take advantage of the benefits offered by use of a particular ‘product. ’ – BOTOX: Neurotoxin vs. wrinkles – Sunlight: Vitamin D and skin cancer
• The decisions of this generation may choose tradeoffs that benefit them but pose risks for future generations. – Fossil fuels use vs. global warming – DES vs. reproductive system cancer – Hazardous waste disposal vs. increase of groundwater pollutants
PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE If the consequences of an action are unknown, but judged to have some potential for negative consequences, then it is better to avoid that action.
“Better safe than sorry. ”
“The first principle of science is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest to fool. ” - Richard Feynman www. hoagiesgifted. org/brain_research. htm
Dewey, Sellum, Allign, & Howe • Public Relations Firm teams: – Each group of five members Choose your team name
- Slides: 21
