Toxicologic pathology in the new millennium.

Abstract

Macroscopic andmicroscopic examinations of human and animal poisonings most likely started with the undertaking of general morphologic examinations several centuries ago, and became an important part of toxicological studies in the last century. However, toxicologic pathology as a separate entity is still a relatively young discipline, emerging during the past 2 to 3 decades. At that time (bio)chemical and in vitro investigations were rapidly developing disciplines in toxicology, itself a young scientie c e eld, and pathologists felt a need for their own platforms to discuss (histo)pathological aspects of toxicology. Unfortunately, with the emergence of separate societies of toxicology and toxicologic pathology, toxicologists and toxicologic pathologists started to drift apart. The toxicologist performed the in vivo portion of toxicologic studies; the pathologists took over at necropsy, while—depending on the institution or company—a third person or 1 of the 2 aforementioned scientists produced a e nal report. Some pathologists were not that interested in risk assessment, others felt excluded. The topics presented under the heading of Toxicologic Pathology in the New Millennium at the joint IFSTP/STP symposium in the Hyatt Orlando from June 24 to June 28, 2001, clearly showed a reversal of this trend. Toxicologic pathologists are again increasingly involved in decisionsregardingissuesoftoxicity,beitattheearlystageof selection of compounds for further development, or in issues of risk assessment in the traditional sense, or in the newly emerging technologies, possibly leading to a fundamental change in toxicological sciences. The symposium began with an excellent keynote address by Dr Eric Green of the US National Institutes of Health/Human Genome Research Project. This keynote address, sponsored by MDS Phama Services, was in memory of Dr John Faccini, one of the early pioneers of toxicologic pathology and of the STP. Dr Green emphasized the speed with which genetic information is becoming incorporated into everything we do, and that the future of medicine, and pathology, will increasingly depend on genetic technologies. Thisfactwasespeciallyfurtherborneoutbythepresentations during the e rst (Discovery Pathology) and last (Genetically Modie ed Foods, and Models for Carcinogenicity Testing) days of the Symposium.