Discussion on Papers 7–11

PAPER 7

MR H. J, DUNSTER, National Radiological Protection Board

Is the relative risk model really simpler than a modified absolute risk model? The relative risk model has concealed parameters provided by the national variation in the baseline, but they are still parameters.

DR C, R. MUIRHEAD and DR S. C. DARBY It depends on the point of view. Some people prefer to think in terms of relative risk models than in terras of absolute risk models. Consequently they might view the absolute model as containing extra parameters compared with the relative model. It is not clear that one model is intrinsically simpler than the other.