A safe bet or Russian roulette?

Risks are borne voluntarily, as in the case of medical tests or elective surgery, or thrust upon us, as in the case of exposure to environmental contamination. How should the average person interpret the daily flood of news reports on sometimes contradictory studies? Do certain actions pose greater risks than not acting at all? All too often, health benefits and risk statements are presented as if they were authoritative, definitive, and based on compelling evidence. However, all they provide is the illusion of certainty.