But we must strive toward not only gathering the best information available, but toward finding ways to organize that information in a manner that helps us to make sound public policy decisions. Thus, I would like to focus on nutrition, food safety, and risk assessment from a policy-maker's viewpoint. Statistics play a very important role in helping us to make such decisions. There are a variety of new, and not so new, methods that have arisen over the last few decades to help decision-makers like myself organize scientific information about risk. Meta-analysis, where the results of many studies are combined to arrive at a conclusion, is one such method.
Risk analysis is another such method.
It has as its objective a characterization of the nature and likelihood of harm resulting from human exposure to agents in the environment. The characterization of risk typically contains both qualitative and quantitative information and is associated with a certain degree of scientific uncertainty. Risk management is the process of weighing policy alternatives in light of the results of the risk assessment and selecting and implementing appropriate control options. The goal of risk management is to protect the public health by controlling risks as effectively as possible through the selection and implementation of appropriate measures. Risk communication is the exchange of information and opinion on risk among risk assessors, risk managers, and other interested parties, including the general public.