Evidence-Based Toxicology: “Sound Science” in New Disguise

Abstract

The “evidence-based toxicology” proposed by Guzelian et al. departs radically from state-of-the-art toxicology by claiming that risks for humans can only be determined on the basis of human evidence. Just like the previous proposal of “sound science,” “evidence-based toxicology” poses a heavy burden of proof On any effort to control exposures in order to reduce health risks to those exposed. The alleged connection between “evidencebased toxicology” and evidence-based medicine is misconceived, since the strict criteria for use of scientific data in evidence-based medicine concerns proof of therapeutic effects, while in “evidence-based toxicology” these criteria are applied to proof of harmful effects. The slogans “sound science” and “evidencebased toxicology” have both been put forward by persons with a history of extensive involvement with the tobacco industry.

Keywords:

• Evidence-based toxicology
• evidence-based medicine
• risk assessment
• burden of proof
• sound science
• bias
• Philip S. Guzelian
• tobacco
• Philip Morris