Key Role of the Rational Laboratory Strategy in Diagnostic, Analytical and Forensic Toxicology

Abstract

It is nevertheless not easy to define the borders between Pharmacology and Toxicology too, because the side effects of commonly used therapies could be extremely toxic, the effects of the Drug of Abuse are also toxic, and toxic substances could be found in soil, water and air. It is well known that Medicine is “rapidly changing in rapidly changing world”, but the paramount progress in laboratory technology has positively influenced the whole Medicine diagnostic process and practice. For these reasons a rational diagnostic strategy is mandatory to optimize the resources. The aim of the toxicological analysis is firstly to detect the toxicant, and to fulfill this scope so that the toxicologist can take advantage of improved technology. Even if new screening methods are easy to perform, highly automated and fit not only for highly specialized laboratory staff, confirmation analysis needs more sophisticated and extremely expensive technology. It is well known indeed that confirmation tests should be performed only by chromatographic technology, both gas chromatographic and liquid chromatographic coupled with mass spectrometry, and these kinds of tests need highly specialized personnel.