Good decision making requires good communication.
The methods used for regulatory decisions must facilitate three kinds of communication: (i) with individual experts who must translate their knowledge into usable form; (ii) among the experts whose pooled knowledge informs those choices; and (iii) between regulators and those affected by their choices. Decision-making methods vary in their reliance on expert judgement and computational methods and, hence, in their ability to meet the goals of sound decision making: breadth, depth, precision, neutrality, evaluability and transparency. An approach developed by the US FDA, the Benefit-Risk Framework, integrates judgement and computation, cognizant of their strengths and weaknesses. Its application both requires and facilitates good communication about risks and benefits.
Department of Social and Decision Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890, USA. baruch@cmu.edu
Baruch
B
Fischhoff
D003142:Communication; D003657:Decision Making; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D006801:Humans; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations