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Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2003 12:26:30 +0200
Reply-To: PSA Forum
Sender: PSA Forum
From: AGUILAR Fernando
Subject: general comments
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I completely joint the analysis made by Dr Groth, specially concerning the way appropriate diversity of expertise within advisories committees is managed. WHO JECFA experts where until now carefully and soundness chosen based on the experience of retired secretary John Herrman, however now it may be necessary to harmonize this process by systematically constituting a selection panel common to WHO and FAO.

When you talk about scientific advices and the implications these would have on national policies, I have the feeling we forget what formally risk assessment is all about: an advice (or opinion) to risk managers, who can or cannot transcribe them into a policy. Contrary to what seems to be the rule in most northern-countries (specially Anglo-Saxons) scientific assessment bodies do not or should not have risk management duties and this may be one reason why "extracting generalizeable criteria from developed countries" to be applied world-wide may prove hard.

Cordialement,

Fernando AGUILAR, PhD.
Responsable du secrétariat scientifique du Comité d'experts spécialisé "Additifs, Arômes et Auxiliaires technologiques"
Unité d'Evaluation des Risques Physico-chimiques
Direction de l'Evaluation des Risques Nutritionnels et Sanitaires
Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments (http://www.afssa.fr)
27-31, Avenue du Général Leclerc
BP 19, 94701 Maisons-Alfort
France
Tél.: (+33) 1 49 77 38 94
FAX: (+33) 1 49 77 13 52
E-mail: f.aguilar@afssa.fr

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