D. Graham, Ph.D., Administrator Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs Office of Management and Budget Executive
Office of the President of the United States Prepared for The
International Society of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology
Precautionary Principle Workshop, Crystal City, VA, June 20,
2002. seems that each new year brings new concerns about risks
to human welfare, quality of life, and environmental protection.
Most public concern in the United States relates now to the war
against terrorism and the economic hardship that many citizens
continue to face. There are also continuing concerns about the
health and safety risks that people face from the consumer
products, production methods, and wastes that support the high
standard of living we now enjoy. And there are some broader
concerns about what economic development is doing to the global
environment and the welfare of future generations. Given the
explosion of information about possible risks in life, it is
difficult for the public to know