Risk vs Risk – Trade offs in Protecting Health & the Environment - Hardcover

Graham, John D

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0674773047 ISBN 13: 9780674773042

Publisher: Harvard University Press, 1995

Synopsis

Stories appear in the newspaper nearly every day: a drug hailed as a breakthrough treatment turns out to cause harmful side effects; controls implemented to reduce air pollution are shown to generate hazardous solid waste; bans on dangerous chemicals result in the introduction of even more risky substitutes. Could our efforts to protect our health and the environment actually be making things worse? This suspicion has long troubled both advocates and critics of risk-reduction efforts, but the problem has never received focused scrutiny. In "Risk Versus Risk", John D. Graham, Jonathan Baert Wiener and their colleagues at the Harvard Centre for Risk Analysis marshal a set of case studies which demonstrate that all too often our nation's campaign to reduce risks to our health and the environment is at war with itself, steadily creating new risks. At the heart of this volume is a series of nine case studies illustrating the complexities of risk tradeoffs, ranging from personal medical choices to toxic substances to prevention of global crises. In each case, authors with specific expertise in the field dissect the multidimensional risk consequences of choices facing decisionmakers. Some of these cases reveal utter folly in risk-reduction efforts; others show decisionmakers recognizing and dealing with risk tradeoffs. "Risk Versus Risk" offers not just a critique of counterproductive risk-reduction efforts, but a method of analysis that is designed to illuminate and help resolve risk tradeoffs. The book concludes by suggesting constructive reforms in government institutions, medical care, and risk decisionmaking to help solve the conundrum of risk tradeoffs.

About this title

Review

John Graham and Jonathan Wiener develop their thesis that unless risk tradeoffs are considered in reducing risks, well intentioned, costly measures may fail to deliver the expected protection of the environment, safety or health. In brief, Graham and Wiener begin by describing a framework for 'risk tradeoff analysis, ' then document the significance and complexity of risk tradeoffs in a range of real-world issues, and conclude by proposing a holistic approach to reducing risk. Professionals and policymakers engaged in risk management and risk communication will find this book illuminating and immensely useful.--Mona S. Rowe "Health Physics Society "

About the Author

John Graham is Professor of Policy and Decision Sciences and Director, Center for Risk Analysis, Harvard School of Public Health. Jonathan Baert Wiener is Perkins Professor of Law, Professor of Environmental Policy & Public Policy Studies in the School of Law and the School of Environment, Duke University. He is also Director of the JD-LLM Program in International & Comparative Law, and Faculty Committee Chair, of the Nicholas Institute Cass R. Sunstein is Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard University.

Edition details

• Publisher: Harvard University Press
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0674773047
• ISBN 13: 9780674773042
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 352