Information, pharmacology, toxicology Healthcare professionals and scientists have carefully prepared this ALtruis Biomedical Network-affiliated site, intended for informational purposes only . In vitro testing Toxicology studies unwanted effects of chemical or physical agents, including drugs and pollutants on living organisms. Some of these specialties are described below.
All drugs have the potential to produce unwanted and toxic effects.
The scope of undesired effects is broad. Some are only bothersome, like dry mouth, while others are life threatening. The potential for toxicity is accessed during the development of all new drugs. If narrow margin exists between an effective dose and a toxic dose, the drug generally requires close monitoring. A blood test may be used to determine if the drug is present at a therapeutic concentration or may be used to assess the effect of the drug on certain targets of toxicity.