11
Assessment of risks
In science a risk is described as the probability that an
event will occur which is detrimental to health and the
expected scale of health impairment. A health risk can
never be completely ruled out. By means of a package of
suitable measures, which are described as risk manage-
ment, efforts are however made to minimise the risk as far
as possible and to prevent any threat to health.
The job of the BfR is to provide the policy decision-
makers with the solid scientific basis for risk management
they need. Identifying a risk and evaluating this risk – the
two together are described as “risk assessment” – is the
first step in the area of health consumer protection. Ide-
ally, this step is taken in dialogue with all relevant parties
and culminates in a consensus on the degree of accept-
ance of a risk. Risk management can use this as a point
of reference and initiate suitable measures.
Risk assessment is performed on the basis of interna-
tionally recognised scientific assessment criteria (see
schema below). It entails the estimation of a risk using
scientific methods.
A distinction is made between qualitative risk assess-
ment in which risks are described verbally – in line with
the diagram outlined in the box – and quantitative risk
assessment. The latter is based at least partly on cal-
culations or mathematical models, and the risks are de-
scribed using mathematical or statistical methods.
The risk assessments of the BfR are also always the sub-
ject of the institute's risk communication activities. The
BfR has the legal mandate to inform the public about po-
tential, identified and assessed risks. The assessments
should be presented in a transparent and easy-to-under-
stand manner. The findings are made publicly accessi-
ble on the Internet website of the BfR while maintaining
the confidentiality of protected data. At expert hearings,
scientific conferences and consumer forums, the institute
enters into dialogue with representatives from the world
of politics, science, associations, industry and non-gov-
ernmental organisations.
From a possible danger to objective assessment – a simplified description of the risk assessment procedure
Hazard
identification
Hazard
description
Risk
characterisation
Identification
of potential source
of hazard
Assessment
of human exposure
Characterisation
of concrete risk
Assessment report
Exposure
estimation
Characterisation
of hazard potential
About the BfR
