Free Trade has to be Safe Trade Free Trade has to be Safe Trade WTO WTO Risk Communication Risk Perception and Human Behavior SPS SPS Dr. Patrick Wall UCD School of Public Health & Population Sciences patrick.wall@ucd.ie Sunday Times Role of the media? Role of the media? Evidence Based Policy? Evidence Based Policy? 27/02/2005 Carcinogen in Baby Food Analytical capability s s e C a E S B e w N 1 7 Parts per Billion Political response in proportion to Political response in proportion to media interest rather than risk media interest rather than risk 1990-”There is no risk to public Consumer Confidence Consumer Confidence health from British beef!” Science Science Politics Politics Trade Trade Public Health Public Health TRUST? TRUST? Mr John Gummer UK Minister of Agriculture and his daughter Centre for Food Safety Centre for Food Safety
Media and Risk Amplification Media and Risk Amplification 3 Million People Eat Beef nobody died! Why do people worry about certain risks and ignore others? The Sequel:- BSE in sheep The Sequel:- BSE in sheep How people process and internalise risk? SPONGI FORM Write a • Involuntary • Catastrophic outcome-Dread factor ENCEPHALOPATHY Science • Disproportionate affect on children • Inevitably fatal consequences Fiction By • Scientific uncertainty & & Patrick Wall t t a a • Government miss-management e e l l Best Seller M M a a e e M M e e n n o o B B Nuclear power Slovic 1989 BSE Was the Switch BSE Was the Switch
EU Purchase for Destruction Scheme Food Safety Agencies EU Purchase for Destruction Scheme Jan – – June 2001 June 2001 Jan F.S.A. F.S.A. FSA 278,000 278,000 F.S.A. F.S.A. animals animals FSA FSA 90,500 tonnes 90,500 tonnes F.S.A. F.S.A. . FSA F.S.A carcase beef carcase beef FSA F.S.A. . F.S.A FSA F.S.A. . FSA F.S.A FSA FSA >400 Million >400 Million FSA F.S.A. F.S.A. F.S.A. F.S.A. Euros Euros F.S.A. F.S.A. Food Safety Authority withdraws Belgian Dioxin Crisis 1999 Belgian chocolates 1 st They Lost £1.5 Billion – Food Ind. “Freefall” 2 nd They Lost Two Ministers 3 rd They Lost a Government 4 th US banned certain food lines from entire EU “The FSAI has been in existence December 1999 December 1999 Don’t tell me about risks tell me that two years, are the turkeys safer h you have g this year than they were last year?” Spin or Substance! u eliminated them o n e t o I Wonder will I get n - Creutzfeldt Jakob n w Turkeys can be o Disease from this s t stuff? contaminated with i n o Salmonella and n o What a Mouthful! FSAI i Campylobacter t a c Christmas i n u message m m o c k s i R
The public appear risk adverse to some risks and indifferent to The public appear risk adverse to some risks and indifferent to The “New” European Beef – Far too risky!!! The public appear risk adverse to some risks and indifferent to other risks that they are exposed to every day other risks that they are exposed to every day other risks that they are exposed to every day I’d never I’d never eat eat GMOs GMOs Globesity Risk Communication in EU? Risk communication Science based? Science based? � Crisis communication V “Peace Time” communication 27 member states with different: • Attitudes to Food � Communication to citizens to enable them • Attitudes to Food Safety better manage their individual risk • Attitudes to Risk � Communication to politicians and policy • Attitudes to Regulations makers to enable them better manage societal • Attitudes to Compliance risk • Attitudes to Awareness Campaigns Food Safety � What is the relationship between risk perception and behaviour? � If you change peoples’ risk perception National Authorities do you change their behaviour? Customise the Message? � Do people have insufficient information to make optimal decisions? Food Safety
Risk behavior different in different domains Evaluation Knowledge no guarantee for less risk taking Knowledge no guarantee for less risk taking Change Change eg Excessive alcohol consumption eg Excessive alcohol consumption Behaviour Behaviour Necessary But not sufficient Attitude-Intention- Behaviour gap Binge drinking Binge drinking Change Attitudes Change Attitudes • • Social lubricant Social lubricant • Culture • Culture Evaluation • Peer pressure • Peer pressure Raise level of knowledge Raise level of knowledge • Others behaviour • Others behaviour- -cue for cue for Acceptability Acceptability • Unrealistic optimism • Unrealistic optimism Increase Awareness Risk and Research Funding? Risk and Research Funding? • Evaluation of risk communication Scientists Scientists strategies? • Meaningful risk perception metrics? • Why certain risks in society are High No risk: neglected and others given extreme risk! No attention? money! • Risk communication/ PR/spin/2 way? • Risk managers response crucial! Confused Risk Managers & Frightened Consumers Safe Dangerous Engaging the public We might succeed with the younger generation Internet panels http://geary.ucd.ie/behaviour Listen…
Build the “Brand” European Food Safety Authority http://www.efsa.europa.eu
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