Needs of the Media

Meet the needs of the media. The media are a prime transmitter of information on risks tliey play a critical role in setting agendas and in determining outcomes. 

Much attention has been garnered by principles of communication that professionals are advised to follow. Well-known examples are seven principles articulated for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accept and involve the public as a legitimate partner (see our Chapter 4) plan carefully and evaluate efforts (Chapter 4) listen to the public s specific concerns (Chapter 4) be honest, frank, and open coordinate and collaborate with other credible sources meet the needs of the media and speak clearly and with compassion (Covello and Allen 1988). Those and related principles have face validity and often practical utility despite their apparent obviousness and abstractness. For example, treating your constituents as though they are ignorant, hysterical, self-interested, or ideologically... 

Meet the needs of the media. Never refuse to work with the media. The media s role is to inform the public, which will be done with or without your assistance. Work with the media to ensure that the information they are providing the public is as accurate and enlightening as possible. 

The need to develop new materials for electrophoretic analysis and macromolecular separations prompted by the needs of the human genome project and the rapidly advancing fields associated with biotechnology, advances in the development of new analytical instrumentation—especially capillary electrophoresis, and practical limitations of the media currently used for gel electrophoresis [73]... 

Model Types. If it is determined that exposure pathways of interest intersect more than one of the media, the analyst is faced with the need to link together single media models (or to apply existing multimedia models). Despite claims to the contrary, there is probably no single model that is appropriate to all problems. Thus, a hybrid combination of boundary... 

Preliminary Cytotoxicity Testing. An essential first step is to carry out a preliminary study to evaluate the toxicity of the test material to the indicator cells, under the conditions of the main mutagenicity test. When selecting dose levels, the solubility of the test compound, the resulting pH of the media, and the osmolality of the test solutions all need to be considered. The latter two parameters have been known to induce false positive effects in in vitro mammalian tests (Brusick, 1986). The experimental procedure is carried out as follows. 

Serum-free cell media can be substituted for OptiMEM for dilution of the transfection reagent. Adjustments to the serum concentration of the media used in cell addition may be needed. 

Our chemical heritage—the record of our achievements and our shortcomings—has a vital role to play in developing a more adequate public understanding of science. The past must be preserved, deployed, and made known. We all—whether Chief Executive officers, chemical scientists, school teachers, or representatives of the media—need a better understanding of the human dimensions of the chemical sciences. Chemical history, our chemical heritage, can help inform our decision making. A positive view of the past chemical achievements will lend a modest but firm realism to our plans for the future. 

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