EPA's New Computational Toxicology Tool

        Cheryl Hogue has a two-page article entitled, "New Tools For Risk Assessment", in the June 11 Issue of Chemical and Engineering News.
    Cheryl describes a new (to me) term, "Computational Toxicology". Cheryl says, "It brings together molecular biology, chemistry, and computational science and relies on high throughput testing methods". This doesn't tell me much, except from its title, it appears to use computers in handling data relating to toxicology. Unless it's something different than this, I agree completely with its use and also add that it should have been used all along.
    Most of Cheryl's article involves applications, which is said to be investigation of various chemicals associated with the registration of new chemicals, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide, Act, Drinking Water Act, and others.
    The EPA has an Office of Research and Development (ORD). Robert Kavlock is Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science. He said, "Computational Toxicology information will not be used for regulatory decisions until it meets the goals [of being rational, scientific, and conforming to the legal mandates of federal environmental laws]". In some ways this is obvious, since all new tools have to be tested for applicability. However, we don't want to engage in testing beyond a reasonable point, if the new tool is found to have good advantage for its use.
    I congratulate the EPA for this forward step in the use of computational science to more efficiently perform its duties of regulating chemicals to safeguard the health of the public. I have been critical of the EPA in the past, primarily because some of the actions it has taken, particularly with respect to control of carbon dioxide emissions and other regulations detrimental to the economy, have had a political ideological flavor. If EPA now concentrates solely on chemical regulations to protect the public, it has my complete support.