Editorials board, and changes in editorial responsibility. I am delighted that, after long preparation, this new relationship is now estab-
Human
Toxicology and the British Toxicology Society—a closer association
editorial
8 years, a journal and a society, both devoted to toxicology, have grown and flourished side-by-side, but at a little distance. Mutual activities have included the publication of edited abstracts of the British Toxicology Society (BTS) proceedings in Human Toxicology, and at least two important policy statements by the BTS have appeared in its pages, one on the subject of acute toxicology testingi and the other on the assessment of skin and eye irritancy.2 Since the journal began publication, Members of the Society have provided invaluable assistance to me on editorial matters. The BTS and Human Toxicology already enjoy high international reputations, which a closer association between them will undoubtedly enhance. This will of necessity involve a broadening of the interests of the journal and its
lished.
During the past
The British
Paul Turner
Department of Clinical Pharmacology St Bartholomew’s Hospital London EC1A 7BE
References 1
British
Toxicology Society Working Party on Toxicity. A approach to the classification of substances and preparations on the basis of their acute toxicity. Human Toxicology 1984; 3: 85-92. Fielder RJ, Gaunt IF, Rhodes C, Sullivan FM & Swanston DW. A hierarchical approach to the assessment of dermal new
2
and ocular
irritancy: a report of the British Toxicology Society Working Party on Irritancy. Human Toxicology 1987; 6: 269-78.
Toxicology Society and the New
Journal Human Toxicology, a journal that has steadily grown in medical and scientific respect in the first 10 years of its life, has just changed to Human & Experimental Toxicology (HET) on becoming the official journal of the British Toxicology Society. Why, and what does it mean? The Society, often just called the BTS, itself evolved from the informal ’Toxicology Club’ almost 10 years ago, when its membership and activities became too varied and too busy to be operated on so causal a basis. It now has a membership of more than 750, runs two major scientific meetings a year, organizes training courses, has just run the IVth International Congress of Toxicology and is accepted as representing an authoritative scientific view in national and international circles. Professor Turner’s preceding editorial notes two of our recent recommendations for furthering the application of toxicology, while in both instances employing more humane methods of animal experimentation. But our concern is wider than that aspect alone, and we are working in other ways to further toxicological science, to encourage and help new recruits, and to work with other scientific and professional bodies to show the true value of the science in basic research and in
its application to protect living organisms and the environment. The BTS has long enjoyed friendly co-operation with Human Toxicology in the publication of abstracts of work presented at its scientific meetings. The Society has now grown to such a size that it wishes to advance the science and practice of toxicology in other ways, including supporting a journal. It is delighted to forge a major formal link with Human Toxicology. To recognize the much wider interests of the Society, without in any way diminishing the journal’s present unique human and veterinary clinical outlook, a new title has been adopted - Human & Experimental Toxicology. The content will become more varied ranging over clinical poisoning of man and animals, toxic harm to the environment, laboratory studies of mechanisms of toxicity, detailed analytical approaches to molecular and cellular processes, new and improved experimental techniques, and the role and processes of safety evaluation in societal regulation of chemicals - in other words the full science of toxicology. The approach to publication will be eclectic provided only that the scientific standard is high, and there will be particular interest in the border areas where toxicology has
4
much both to learn and contribute in studying the causes and consequences of hazards and in exploiting scientific developments, as in immunotoxicity, radiation toxicology, behavioural and developmental processes and approaches to the quantification and prediction of risk. Just as our subject major is extensive, so is the interest of the Society in its area of scientific concern. We are based in Britain, but our theme is international and we shall actively try to extend our collaboration with colleagues wherever good work is being done. The Society is looking forward to this new
We have been glad to success of the Editorial Board and publisher in founding and developing Human Toxicology and we warmly anticipate the additional opportunities presented in the new Human & Experimental Toxicology.
phase
in its
growth.
support the considerable
A. D. Dayan DHSS Department of Toxicology, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical College, Dominion House, 59 Bartholomew Close, London, EC1 7ED, UK
Human
Toxicology and the British Toxicology Society—a closer association
editorial
8 years, a journal and a society, both devoted to toxicology, have grown and flourished side-by-side, but at a little distance. Mutual activities have included the publication of edited abstracts of the British Toxicology Society (BTS) proceedings in Human Toxicology, and at least two important policy statements by the BTS have appeared in its pages, one on the subject of acute toxicology testingi and the other on the assessment of skin and eye irritancy.2 Since the journal began publication, Members of the Society have provided invaluable assistance to me on editorial matters. The BTS and Human Toxicology already enjoy high international reputations, which a closer association between them will undoubtedly enhance. This will of necessity involve a broadening of the interests of the journal and its
lished.
During the past
The British
Paul Turner
Department of Clinical Pharmacology St Bartholomew’s Hospital London EC1A 7BE
References 1
British
Toxicology Society Working Party on Toxicity. A approach to the classification of substances and preparations on the basis of their acute toxicity. Human Toxicology 1984; 3: 85-92. Fielder RJ, Gaunt IF, Rhodes C, Sullivan FM & Swanston DW. A hierarchical approach to the assessment of dermal new
2
and ocular
irritancy: a report of the British Toxicology Society Working Party on Irritancy. Human Toxicology 1987; 6: 269-78.
Toxicology Society and the New
Journal Human Toxicology, a journal that has steadily grown in medical and scientific respect in the first 10 years of its life, has just changed to Human & Experimental Toxicology (HET) on becoming the official journal of the British Toxicology Society. Why, and what does it mean? The Society, often just called the BTS, itself evolved from the informal ’Toxicology Club’ almost 10 years ago, when its membership and activities became too varied and too busy to be operated on so causal a basis. It now has a membership of more than 750, runs two major scientific meetings a year, organizes training courses, has just run the IVth International Congress of Toxicology and is accepted as representing an authoritative scientific view in national and international circles. Professor Turner’s preceding editorial notes two of our recent recommendations for furthering the application of toxicology, while in both instances employing more humane methods of animal experimentation. But our concern is wider than that aspect alone, and we are working in other ways to further toxicological science, to encourage and help new recruits, and to work with other scientific and professional bodies to show the true value of the science in basic research and in
its application to protect living organisms and the environment. The BTS has long enjoyed friendly co-operation with Human Toxicology in the publication of abstracts of work presented at its scientific meetings. The Society has now grown to such a size that it wishes to advance the science and practice of toxicology in other ways, including supporting a journal. It is delighted to forge a major formal link with Human Toxicology. To recognize the much wider interests of the Society, without in any way diminishing the journal’s present unique human and veterinary clinical outlook, a new title has been adopted - Human & Experimental Toxicology. The content will become more varied ranging over clinical poisoning of man and animals, toxic harm to the environment, laboratory studies of mechanisms of toxicity, detailed analytical approaches to molecular and cellular processes, new and improved experimental techniques, and the role and processes of safety evaluation in societal regulation of chemicals - in other words the full science of toxicology. The approach to publication will be eclectic provided only that the scientific standard is high, and there will be particular interest in the border areas where toxicology has
4
much both to learn and contribute in studying the causes and consequences of hazards and in exploiting scientific developments, as in immunotoxicity, radiation toxicology, behavioural and developmental processes and approaches to the quantification and prediction of risk. Just as our subject major is extensive, so is the interest of the Society in its area of scientific concern. We are based in Britain, but our theme is international and we shall actively try to extend our collaboration with colleagues wherever good work is being done. The Society is looking forward to this new
We have been glad to success of the Editorial Board and publisher in founding and developing Human Toxicology and we warmly anticipate the additional opportunities presented in the new Human & Experimental Toxicology.
phase
in its
growth.
support the considerable
A. D. Dayan DHSS Department of Toxicology, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical College, Dominion House, 59 Bartholomew Close, London, EC1 7ED, UK
