title: Uncertainty in risk assessment. Current efforts and future hopes.
abstract: The incorporation of sampling variability in estimates of excess risk has been part of risk assessment practice for decades. Currently, there is a strong desire to incorporate understanding of biological mechanisms into the models used for exposure assessment and exposure-response modeling. In addition, representing population heterogeneity in the assessment of risks and the identification of sensitive subpopulations is of great concern. Finally, the communication of uncertainty and variability remains a challenge to risk assessors. Based upon the presentations of workshop faculty, a summary of current practice when addressing uncertainty together with conjectures concerning future challenges for addressing uncertainty, are presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056-1641, USA. ajbailer@muohio.edu
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bailer
mesh_terms: D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D006801:Humans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018401:Sample Size; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants