Toxicology, disappointments and promise.

The development of toxicology during the past 50 years is traced, with particular reference to chronic testing and carcinogenesis. The increasing dichotomy between the study of human disease and the accumulation of routine experimental data is examined. It is suggested that a drastic change is needed in toxicological approaches that replaces rote testing with more thoughtful scientific research. The relationship between toxicology and human disease needs to be re-emphasized and the medical profession encouraged to take a more active role in this field.