Summary of concepts in Forensic Toxicology (Annex A)
This document contains keywords of concepts of which an expert in the field of Forensic Toxicology should minimally have a basic knowledge
1. Human biology
- Anatomy, physiology, biochemistry
2. Pathology
- Pathophysiology and biochemical pathology
- Clinical chemistry
- Basics of pathological anatomy
3. Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Pharmaco/toxicodynamics
- Pharmaco/toxicokinetics, including the effect of dosage forms (biopharmacy)
- Pharmaco/toxicogenetics
- Chemical structures: structure-activity relationships, working mechanisms, metabolism of xenobiotics
- General toxicology: acute versus chronic toxicity; carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, teratogenicity
- Clinical toxicology: symptoms and therapy in the event of overdose organ toxicity, side effects, interactions, addiction and habituation, effects of drugs on behaviour, clinical chemistry (influence of poisoning on clinical-chemical parameters)
- Pathophysiology and biochemical pathology
- Epidemiology of acute poisoning
- Risk assessment of possible poisonous substances
4. Post-mortem toxicology
- Sampling, choice of material to be examined and analysed (in this context the interpretation of autopsy and necropsy/legal post-mortem results are important)
- Post-mortem processes in bodily material (causes and effects)
5. Bio-analytical investigation
- Method development and method specifications (quality, quantity): pre-treatment, separation and detection
- Method validation: quality requirements
- Quality control
- Stability: storing, preserving
- Certification and accreditation
- External Quality Assurance