Ethical issues in risk communication: Continuing the discussion

Proposed in this article is one possible framework for classifying multiple types of ethical issues in risk communication research and practice to hel p continue a discussion initiated in 1990 by Morgan and Lave. Some of the q uestions that each stage of the process for planning risk communication str ategies appears to pose for ethics are discussed (e.g., selecting issues to be communicated, knowing the issue, dealing with constraints). Also discus sed briefly are some issues raised by the possibility that risk communicato rs aspire to the status of a profession. The purpose is to foster discussio n rather than issue a conclusive statement on the topic, because its very n ature makes a definitive pronouncement indefensible.