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Dietary Reference Intakes A Risk Assessment Model for Establishing Upper Intake Levels for Nutrients (1998) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix B: Options for Dealing with Uncertainties
Pages 31-34

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From page 31...
... The most significant inference uncertainties arise in risk assessments whenever attempts are made to answer the following questions (NRC, 1994~: What setts) of hazard and dose-response data (for a given substance)
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From page 32...
... The NRC committee recommended that regulatory agencies in the United States identify the needed inference options in risk assessment and specify, through written risk assessment guidelines, the specific options that will be used for all assessments. Agencies in
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From page 33...
... and for minimizing or eliminating case-by-case manipulations of the conduct of risk assessment to meet predetermined risk management objectives. The major disadvantage of the use of defaults is the potential for displacement of scientific judgment by excessively rigid guidelines.
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From page 34...
... Assessors asked to present full array of estimates, using all scientifically plausible models High potential to maximize use of most relevant scientific information bearing on specific issues Consistent treatment of different issues Maximizes transparency of process Allows resolution of scientific disagreements by resorting to defaults Maximizes use of scientific information Reasonably reliable portrayal of true state of scientific understanding Potential for inconsistent treatment of different issues Difficulty in achieving consensus Need to agree on defaults May be difficult · to justify departure · to achieve consensus among scientists that departures are justified in specific cases Danger that uncertainties will be overlooked Highly complex characterization of risk, with no easy way to discriminate among estimates Size of required effort may not be commensurate with utility of the outcome REFERENCES EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
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Key Terms

  • risk characterization
  • relevant scientific
  • true state
  • animal data
  • allow risk

  • assessment guidelines
  • ready means
  • basic knowledge
  • animal species
  • based answers

  • predetermined risk
  • carcinogen risk
  • uncertainties arise
  • uncertainties inherent
  • support alternatives

  • significant inference
  • definitive empirical
  • various approaches
  • provide explicit
  • inference uncertainties

  • default assumptions
  • scientifically plausible
  • hazardous air
  • assessments whenever
  • information bearing

  • model uncertainties
  • empirically based
  • human population
  • assessing nutrient
  • past national


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