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News
Risk communication is always in the news - we just may not always notice. Below are a short list of notable (and recent) news stories that involve risk communication.
Terrorist Attacks in London, U.K.
Childhood vaccination and autism - what is the risk?
2nd case of Mad Cow Disease in U.S. cattle
Homeland Security
Risk communication is always in the news - we just may not always notice. Below are a short list of notable (and recent) news stories that involve risk communication.
Terrorist Attacks in London, U.K.
Childhood vaccination and autism - what is the risk?
2nd case of Mad Cow Disease in U.S. cattle
Homeland Security
Terrorist Attacks in
London, U.K.
The July 7th terror attacks on and the July 21st attempted bombings of the London subway have raised the specter of terrorism threats in Europe and abroad. Through statements to the press and appeals to the general public, British authorities are helping to learn the identities of the suspected bombers, track their movements over the last few years, describe the safety measures being enacted to help ensure public safety, and enlist assistance in identifying "suspicious" materials or individuals. In the United States, increased attention is being paid to securing transportation infrastructure (especially trains), also with appeals to passengers to report anything they believe to be suspicious.
Terrorism is an ongoing threat and during terrorist attacks, good information is at a premium.
* For the latest updates on the terrorist attacks in London and Egypt, visit the CNN or New York Times website.
Statement by British Prime Minister Tony Blair
Actions be taken to safeguard transportation infrastructure in the U.S.
Childhood vaccination and autism - what is the risk?
Over the last several years, debate has centered on whether a mercury-based preservative once widely used in childhood vaccines causes autism. Rates of the neurological developmental disorder - one that is still poorly understood scientifically - have risen sharply in recent years. Although epidemiological studies and expert review panels have not found any evidence of a link, debate continues, involving parents, public health professionals, medical doctors, vaccine makers, and politicians. Effective risk communication in this case involves providing clear information about the benefits of childhood vaccines, what is currently known about its relationship to autism, and what exactly autism is as a disorder.
Read more about the vaccine-autism issues in recent articles from CNN and the New York Times.
Also..
Bellaby, P. 2003. Communication and miscommunication of risk: understanding UK parents' attitudes to combined MMR vaccination. British Medical Journal, 327, 725-728.
2nd case of Mad Cow Disease in U.S. cattle
On June 24th, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that a 2nd U.S. cow had tested positive for Mad Cow Disease (also known as BSE - Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy). The cow was first tested last year, with final confirmation from a British lab received last week. Mad Cow Disease has received heavy coverage in recent years, especially in Great Britain, where the disease was suspected in causing a variant of BSE in humans who ate contaminated meat. Mad Cow Disease is, of course, a real concern to the food supply, and effective risk communication involves disseminating information about what the disease is, what danger is poses to a nation's food supply, how many cases (if any) have been diagnosed in cattle and humans, and what actions are being taken to prevent its spread.
Read more about the recent BSE announcement in two articles from CNN: Article 1 and Article 2.
On July 11th, the USDA announced that testing on the other members of the herd where the infected cow came from were all negative for BSE. Click here to read more.
Homeland Security
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report about possible applications of risk communication to the federal Homeland Security Advisory System. Since the 9/11 attacks, the color-coded Homeland Security Advisory System has functioned with the goal of communicating the risk of terrorist attacks to law enforcement, emergency responders, and the general public, among other groups. This system, according to GAO, faces numerous challenges, namely a shortfall in disseminating threat-specific information in a timely manner. In its report, GAO issues several recommendations to make the System more timely, accurate and precise.
The full text of this articles is available here.
A summary version is available here.
The July 7th terror attacks on and the July 21st attempted bombings of the London subway have raised the specter of terrorism threats in Europe and abroad. Through statements to the press and appeals to the general public, British authorities are helping to learn the identities of the suspected bombers, track their movements over the last few years, describe the safety measures being enacted to help ensure public safety, and enlist assistance in identifying "suspicious" materials or individuals. In the United States, increased attention is being paid to securing transportation infrastructure (especially trains), also with appeals to passengers to report anything they believe to be suspicious.
Terrorism is an ongoing threat and during terrorist attacks, good information is at a premium.
* For the latest updates on the terrorist attacks in London and Egypt, visit the CNN or New York Times website.
Statement by British Prime Minister Tony Blair
Actions be taken to safeguard transportation infrastructure in the U.S.
Childhood vaccination and autism - what is the risk?
Over the last several years, debate has centered on whether a mercury-based preservative once widely used in childhood vaccines causes autism. Rates of the neurological developmental disorder - one that is still poorly understood scientifically - have risen sharply in recent years. Although epidemiological studies and expert review panels have not found any evidence of a link, debate continues, involving parents, public health professionals, medical doctors, vaccine makers, and politicians. Effective risk communication in this case involves providing clear information about the benefits of childhood vaccines, what is currently known about its relationship to autism, and what exactly autism is as a disorder.
Read more about the vaccine-autism issues in recent articles from CNN and the New York Times.
Also..
Bellaby, P. 2003. Communication and miscommunication of risk: understanding UK parents' attitudes to combined MMR vaccination. British Medical Journal, 327, 725-728.
2nd case of Mad Cow Disease in U.S. cattle
On June 24th, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that a 2nd U.S. cow had tested positive for Mad Cow Disease (also known as BSE - Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy). The cow was first tested last year, with final confirmation from a British lab received last week. Mad Cow Disease has received heavy coverage in recent years, especially in Great Britain, where the disease was suspected in causing a variant of BSE in humans who ate contaminated meat. Mad Cow Disease is, of course, a real concern to the food supply, and effective risk communication involves disseminating information about what the disease is, what danger is poses to a nation's food supply, how many cases (if any) have been diagnosed in cattle and humans, and what actions are being taken to prevent its spread.
Read more about the recent BSE announcement in two articles from CNN: Article 1 and Article 2.
On July 11th, the USDA announced that testing on the other members of the herd where the infected cow came from were all negative for BSE. Click here to read more.
Homeland Security
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report about possible applications of risk communication to the federal Homeland Security Advisory System. Since the 9/11 attacks, the color-coded Homeland Security Advisory System has functioned with the goal of communicating the risk of terrorist attacks to law enforcement, emergency responders, and the general public, among other groups. This system, according to GAO, faces numerous challenges, namely a shortfall in disseminating threat-specific information in a timely manner. In its report, GAO issues several recommendations to make the System more timely, accurate and precise.
The full text of this articles is available here.
A summary version is available here.
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HIGHLIGHTS |
| P-FLASH: Practical Front-Line Assistance for Support and Healing June 21, 2006 Local Needs and Preparedness for WMD Incidents: The Current – and Sobering - US Picture A Presentation by Dr. Glenn Paulson, Director, NJCPHP |
