BfR - Department 2: Risk Communication (BfR - RIKO)
Consumer health protection involves research into, assessment and communication of risks. In this context it is not just the risks themselves that are important but also their communication in the media and how they are perceived. Scientific findings must be transparent and put across in a comprehensible manner in order to promote the rational handling of risks. BfR has the statutory remit for risk communication and informs the public at large of possible health risks in the fields of food, chemical and product safety. To this end BfR enters into an active dialogue with various stakeholders from science, trade and industry, political circles, the media, associations, non-governmental organisations and consumers. Besides target-group orientated press and public relations, this communication process entails the active involvement of various interest groups in expert meetings, status seminars, consumer protection fora, stakeholder conferences and public symposia. The interdisciplinary Risk Communication Department conducts research projects on risk perception, early risk detection and risk impact assessment for instance in the fields of new technologies like nanotechnology, changes in nutritional behaviour of consumers following risk communication or the ranking of risks by various social interest groups. The tools used here are representative surveys, consumer conferences, Delphi surveys and focus groups. Another main area of the Department is the co-ordination and targeted, ongoing development of national and international networks of the political and scientific institutions responsible for consumer health protection. The Department supports the following BfR Committees: Risk research and risk perception.
Parent institution:
Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) Details of BfR
Address
BfR - Department 2: Risk Communication (BfR - RIKO)
Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10
10589 Berlin
Berlin
Phone: +49-(0)30-18412-3229
Fax: +49-(0)30-18412-1243
email: 2(@)bfr.bund.de
Activities:
- Research
Focus of Research:
- Collecting the information needs of stakeholders and developing communication tools for specific target groups
- Communication approach to scientific uncertainty
- Evaluation of risk communication and related participatory methods
- Measurement of risk perception of different stakeholders in the fields of science, economics, politics, media, associations, NGOs and the consumers
- Medial transport of risks and its possible consequences on behavior
- Risk communication of new technologies, especially nanotechnology
Coordinated projects
- Forming a global network for identifying food-related emerging risks (EmRisk) Details of Forming a global network for identifying food-related emerging risks (EmRisk)
- Improvement of methods of evaluation of communication programs Details of Improvement of methods of evaluation of communication programs
- Investigation of potential (risk) communication problems in the use of 'risk' and 'hazard' and derivation of recommendations for action Details of Investigation of potential (risk) communication problems in the use of 'risk' and 'hazard' and derivation of recommendations for action
- Overweight and obesity in children, adolescents and young adults as a systemic risk Details of Overweight and obesity in children, adolescents and young adults as a systemic risk
Involved in research projects:
- Absorption and safety of nanoscale phytosterol formulations Details of Absorption and safety of nanoscale phytosterol formulations