Toxicogenomics
Toxicogenomics - an emerging science that studies the interaction between peoples' genes, toxic chemicals in the environment, and disease - has the potential to revolutionize risk assessments and the regulatory actions that rely on them, as well as to greatly advance the fields of toxicology and environmental health. Its use for risk assessment could alter dramatically how safety margins are calculated and how exposures are assessed, as well as premarket safety testing of chemicals, evaluations of new drugs, and a host of other issues - all of which in turn raise countless legal and ethical issues. The legal issues range from the implications of toxicogenomics information on adverse information reporting requirements under the federal pesticide and chemical substances laws, to their effect on workplace safety standards and the right of individual employees, to their use - and potential misuse - in toxic tort actions. Toxicogenomics data and their use also raise a plethora of ethical issues-many of which involves core privacy rights. The debate and resolution of these issues will affect regulation and litigation - and individuals - in fundamental ways for years to come.
