[The predictive value for man of toxicological findings in experimental animals (author's transl)].

The extrapolation of toxicological findings in experimental animals to man is an important and difficult problem. However, experiments on several animal species form the basis for deciding whether or not a new substance should be given to or tested on humans. Compounds which even in low doses lead to dose-dependent organic damage should obviously not be developed any further. There are, however, cases in which no firm conclusion can be reached by the toxicologist on the grounds of the results of animal experiments alone, as to whether or not the substance should be used in man. In such cases close collaboration is necessitated between the pharmacologist, toxicologist, biochemist and physician. Their aim is to decide if preliminary trials may or may not be carried out in human subjects. If the answer is in the affirmative, early administration to man should follow, as there is no clear-cup solution to the question of extrapolating findings in animal experiments to test subjects. Medical progress relies on research which, in the end, has to be supported by experiments on humans.