Occupational Toxicology in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Most of the assessment of toxicology and safety of therapeutics is focused on the patients who are to benefit from the new medicine. However, there are two other groups of individuals (each of which has different exposure profiles) that one must be concerned about the healthcare providers (nurses, pharmacists and physicians) who provide and/or administer the drugs and the individuals involved in manufacturing them. The concerns here are in the realm of occupational toxicology. 

Modem toxicology has its roots in the occupational environment. The earliest recorded observations relating exposure to chemical substances and toxic manifestations were made about workers. These include Agricola s identification of the diseases of miners and Pott s investigation of scrotal cancer incidence among chimney sweeps. Occupational toxicology, as its name implies, concerns itself with the toxicological implications of exposure to chemicals in the work environment. 

Purpose Potential for effects from unintended exposure Predict and evaluate clinical findings and preclude serious hazards from clinical use 

Routes of administration Inhalation, direct contact with skin or eyes Oral and/or parenteral most likely 

Dose level Not really predictable Relative to estimated therapeutic dose or maximum tolerated dose 

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FUTURE ISSUES IN OCCUPATIONAL TOXICOLOGY IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY... 

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