Toxicology and the general practitioner.

The media often portray chemicals of any description in eye-catching headlines so it is increasingly important to educate the public about the factors that affect the toxicity of a chemical substance, so that people can make informed choices about the risks and benefits posed by these substances. Toxicology is an important tool in public health and regulatory decision making, but there are limitations which often need to be addressed. There are questions in this area that science cannot reasonably answer, and the public should be made more aware of the reasons. This article examines these issues.