title: Risks, risk assessment and risk competence in toxicology.
abstract: Understanding the toxic effects of xenobiotics requires sound knowledge of physiology and biochemistry. The often described lack of understanding pharmacology/toxicology is therefore primarily caused by the general absence of the necessary fundamental knowledge. Since toxic effects depend on exposure (or dosage) assessing the risks arising from toxic substances also requires quantitative reasoning. Typically public discussions nearly always neglect quantitative aspects and laypersons tend to disregard dose-effect-relationships. One of the main reasons for such disregard is the fact that exposures often occur at extremely low concentrations that can only be perceived intellectually but not by the human senses. However, thresholds in the low exposure range are often scientifically disputed. At the same time, ignorance towards known dangers is wide-spread. Thus, enhancing the risk competence of laypersons will have to be initially restricted to increasing the awareness of existing problems.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Charité Berlin, Institute for Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stahlmann
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Charité Berlin, Institute for Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Aniko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horvath
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000633:toxicity; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D019055:No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000009:adverse effects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012308:Risk Management; D014116:Toxicology
chemical_list: D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D000535:Aluminum
keywords: dose-effect-relationships; fundamental knowledge; known risks; low concentrations; problem awareness; toxicology