This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Chrostowski, P. C. Articles by Estreicher, H. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Chrostowski, P. C. Articles by Estreicher, H. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Endocrine-Modulating Chemicals as a Case Study of Science in the Courtroom

CPF Associates, Inc., Takoma Park, MD, USA

Judi L. Durda

The Weinberg Group Inc., Washington, D.C., USA

Herbert Estreicher

Covington & Burling, Washington, D.C., USA

In contemporary society, many scientific issues involving toxi-cologists, epidemiologists, and other risk assessment professionals have become the topics of hotly contested legal actions. Nowhere is this more apparent than in toxic tort cases where judgements involving millions of dollars can hinge on the expert testimony provided by a toxicologist. Many of these cases involve scientific opinions that have not yet entered the mainstream of scientific thought, thus it becomes necessary for courts to place a great deal of emphasis on the reliability of science. In this paper, we analyze the scientific and legal bases of disease causation in the toxic tort context and illustrate how the emerging issue of endocrine modulation may evolve in this context. We conclude that there is an inadequate scientific basis to show personal injuries associated with exposure to a class of putative endocrine modulators. This paper is not intended to illustrate a specific case; it is intended to be a heuristic for toxicologists, risk assessors, and attorneys, who may be forced to confront these and similar issues in the course of their professional careers.

Key Words: Endocrine Modulators • Phthalates • Expert Testimony • Daubert

International Journal of Toxicology, Vol. 18, No. 3, 201-207 (1999)
DOI: 10.1080/109158199225503


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. J. Northup Toxicity, Risk Assessment, and the Law--Introductory Remarks International Journal of Toxicology, April 1, 1999; 18(3): 199 - 200. [PDF]