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By Victoria Sutton and Brie Sherwin
Toxicological animal studies are the cornerstone of the study of toxicology. Experiments can be controlled and timed on genetically identical animals in order to get the best possible data on the toxic effects of products and substances. Extrapolating that information to human exposure gives us the best risk information for purposes of regulation and risk management. Federal agency rulemaking procedures for environmental risks and drug approval processes, as well as civil consent decrees for rule enforcement are examples of the administrative use of toxicological data. Read on.