A framework for making decisions about risks, with recommendations for research, public policy, and practice.

The story of two men who changed government policy on experimental drugs for the dying; an indictment of the bureaucrats, doctors, scientists, and corporations that trade life for profit.

The bestselling “master of the medical thriller” (The New York Times) confronts one of the most compelling issues of our time: personality-altering drugs and the complex moral questions they raise. When neuroscientist Edward Armstrong begins dating Kimberly Stewart, a descendant of a woman who was hanged as a witch at the time of the Salem witch trials, he takes advantage of the opportunity to delve into a pet theory: that the “devil” in Salem in 1692 had been a hallucinogenic drug inadvertently consumed with mold-tainted grain. In an attempt to prove his theory, Edward grows the mold he believes responsible with samples from the Stewart estate. In a brilliant designer-drug transformation, the poison becomes Ultra, the next generation of antidepressants with truly startling therapeutic capabilties. But who can be sure the drug is safe for consumers? Who defines the boundaries of “normal” human behavior? And if the drug’s side effects are proven to be dangerous—even terrifying—how far will the medical community go to alter their standards of acceptable risk?

This book is the first major work that addresses a core question in biomedical research: the question of acceptable risk. The acceptable level of risks is regulated by the requirement of proportionality in biomedical research law, which state that the risk and burden to the participant must be in proportion to potential benefits to the participant, society or science. This investigation addresses research on healthy volunteers, children, vulnerable subjects, and includes placebo controlled clinical trials. It represents a major contribution towards clarifying the most central, but also the most controversial and complex issue in biomedical research law and bioethics. The EU Clinical Trial Directive, the Council of Europe’s Oviedo Convention (and its Additional Protocol), and national regulation in member states are covered. It is a relevant work for lawyers and ethicists, and the practical approach makes a valuable tool for researchers and members of research ethics committees supervising biomedical research.

We all know life is full of risks, and having to choose between risks in nothing new; accepting risks has become second nature to us. So why do the media announce almost weekly the evidence of yet another hazard to our safety- and why do we bitterly debate legislation regarding it? Perhaps because as the public becomes more knowledgeable about the nature and effects of many risks, we are also learning how risks are being 'managed' for us. We are being asked not only to confront personal, voluntary risks, but also to decide which involuntary risks are acceptable- and what is voluntary for one person has a way of becoming imposed on another. Or what may seem an 'acceptable' risk standard to a group of government regulators may not be to the citizens to whom that agency is responsible. This book is a political, philosophical, and psychological examination of risks in our society: an investigation of how risks are defined and responded to on a personal, corporate, and governmental- even global- basis. At its core is the fact that today the public is often ambivalent toward risk, at least until it begins to affect us personally. As the authors discuss a range of issues and proceed from chosen risks to how the public is informed, misinformed, or uninformed about risks, we learn of the impact our inaction has on our lives and by understanding risk determination, how we have come to live in a world of risks that are considered respectable, acceptable risks. -- from Book Jacket.

By avoiding risk, are you also avoiding your life's full potential? Join acclaimed neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson as he explores the life-changing power of taking the risk, even if you're afraid. In our risk-avoidant culture, we place a high premium on safety. We insure our vacations. We check crash tests on cars. We extend the warranties on our appliances. But by insulating ourselves from the unknown--the natural risks of life--we miss the great adventure of living our lives to their fullest potential. Dr. Ben Carson spent his childhood as an at-risk child on the streets of Detroit, and he took big risks in performing complex surgeries on the brain and the spinal cord. Now, offering inspiring personal examples, Dr. Carson invites us to embrace risk in our own lives. In Take the Risk, Dr. Carson examines our safety-at-all-costs culture and the meaning of risk and security in our lives. Take the Risk guides you through an extensive examination of risk, including: Risk-taking in history An assessment of the real costs and rewards of risk Learning how to assess and accept risks Understanding how risk reveals the purpose of your life From a man whose life dramatically portrays the connection between great risks and greater successes, the insights Dr. Carson shares in Take the Risk will help you dispel your fear of risk in order to dream big, aim high, move with confidence, and reap the rewards of wise risk-taking. Praise for Take the Risk: "Whether you are a world-renowned neurosurgeon, a CEO, or a teacher, this book applies to anyone who ever wondered about the difference between the pacesetters and those who struggle to keep up. It is the pacesetters who Take the Risk, and this book explains when and why to take risks to empower everyone to become a trailblazer rather than a mere spectator. For anyone who wants to rise above mediocrity, this book is a must-read." --Armstrong Williams, author and radio host, The Armstrong Williams Show

This relevant and scholarly text masterfully integrates health risk assessment information and its importance to IH and environmental scientists. Topics include science and judgment, risk assessment, risk management, and the future of industrial hygiene.