Differing perspectives on the use of scientific evidence and the precautionary principle
J. Burger
Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute,
and Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation, Division
of Life Sciences, Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Rutgers University,
Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
Abstract: Different governments and agencies are approaching
the use of scientific evidence, weight of evidence, and the precautionary
principle in different ways. The European community has used the precautionary
principle in situations where the consequences are great, data are unavailable
or will be costly (in terms of money and time) to obtain, or data are
difficult or impossible to obtain. Other countries, such as the United
States, have a risk assessment process that has built-in safety or uncertainty
factors which are themselves precautionary. Risk management decisions
can be made on the basis of adequate studies, risk assessment, weight-of-evidence
approaches, and the application of the precautionary principle. While
weight of evidence has been used in the United States for increased
research funding and regulator action with respect to some chemicals
that are hormonally active, the European community has applied the precautionary
principle.
*Report from a SCOPE/IUPAC project: Implication of Endocrine Active Substances for Human and Wildlife (J. Miyamoto and
J.Burger, editors). Other reports are published in this issue, pp. 1617-2615.
Page last modified 12 February 2004.
Copyright © 2004 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.
Questions or comments about IUPAC, please contact, the Secretariat.
Questions regarding the website, please contact web
manager.