ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part looks at a set of expert perspectives on not only what we need to know, but on what we need to do about human health risks. In most of the views, risk assessment methods are accepted in principle, prioritization is considered useful, and the writers seek to set forth what we need to know to improve the methods, to fill the gaps in our knowledge, and so to make risk-based prioritization more reliable. Variety of views, assertions, proposals, and ideas on what we need to know about human health risks are used to make it possible to use risk assessment in setting priorities for risk-reduction actions. The ideas range from making specific suggestions on data needs for specific purposes to the throwing out of current methodologies and the adoption of a completely new and different one.
