Description: The author, a professor of biostatistics, argues that the use of the terms “rate” and “probability” by epidemiologists, demographers-and actuaries, are often used incorrectly.

Description: This presentation is a concurrent session from the 1980 Annual Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held October 20-22 in Montreal. This session was arranged by the American Statistical Association, ‘ASA,’ and the five panelists are biostatisticians, the moderator being the sole actuary. It is the result of efforts by the ASA and SOA to work together and provide sessions at each other’s meetings. The panelists discuss specialized techniques developed for making greater use of noninsurance studies such as medical follow-ups and clinical trial analyses, which may, because of their nature, involve relatively small groups, and compare them with the more traditional actuarial methodology. Discussion from participants is included. From the Record of Society of Actuaries, Volume 6, No. 4.