Principles A risk assessment must be transparent The hazard or hazards to be addressed must be defined and clearly set out. The risk which the risk assessment evaluates must be defined and clearly set out. It is likely that in the case of antibiotics, the compound or the class of compounds in question must be specifically defined as well as the organisms and their resistance determinants. This information must be clearly set out with its source fully referenced. The overall probability of the pathway of events from hazard to defined outcome actually occurring is evaluated either qualitatively or quantitatively for each defined hazard and outcome, using the information obtained.
Risk assessment is an iterative process.
Ongoing re-evaluation may require modification of the assessment, until the risk assessor believes that it is as good as it can be given the current state of knowledge. Risk assessment involves team work - a variety of sources are needed to supply the different elements required. However, the uncertainty surrounding this estimate will depend upon the uncertainty surrounding the information available. Assessing the quality of the information When assessing the risk from the use of antibiotics in animals, potential consequences in humans as well as animals should be considered. Well designed studies published in major peer reviewed journals are very rare.