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. The potential pathways from the hazards of interest to the outcomes of interest must be elucidated. For antibiotics the compounds or the class of compound must be specifically defined as well as the organisms and their resistant determinants. This information must be clearly set out and its source fully referenced.
Risk assessment is iterative.
Continuing re-evaluation may require modification of the assessment, until the risk assessor believes that it is as good as it can be, given the state of knowledge. It 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. The conference recognised that there are several ways of transmission, such as direct contact, environmental and via the food chain. Prevalence of the organisms in animals.