Spring Issue 2006
Teaching Toxicology to the Public: TEF Foundation Debuts
Award-Winning Video
“Is it Safe? Evaluating Chemical Risks” is a video produced by the Toxicology
Education Foundation (TEF) and co-sponsored by the U.S. National Institute
of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). TEF is a non-profit organization
dedicated to encouraging, supporting, and promoting charitable and educational
activities that increase the understanding of toxicology. The video is
aimed at giving people a clearly explained and engaging look at the basics
of toxicology and risk assessment. It offers guidance on determining what
chemicals may be causes for concern and, more importantly, under what
circumstances. Fundamental concepts, such as “The dose makes the poison”
and prevention are enhanced by the visual format. In April 2006, this
video received a Platinum “Best of Show” Aurora award in the Instructional/Educational/Training
programs category. The Aurora Awards is an international competition designed
to recognize excellence in the film and video industries.
“Is it Safe?” How many times have we, as toxicologists, heard that question
from family, friends, acquaintances, or strangers? How often do we begin
our answer with, “Well, on the one hand ….”? To the toxicologist, toxicology
is obviously rife with complexity and scientific uncertainty. Yet we,
as ordinary citizens, have to make daily decisions about exposures to
potentially hazardous substances. Toxicologists can perform an important
civic duty by helping the public, media, and policy makers understand
how to evaluate chemical risks. Now there is a new teaching aid we can
add to our communications tool box.
This video is designed as both a stand-alone unit for unmediated viewing
by interested members of the public and, more importantly, as a teaching
tool. Toxicologists and other public health professionals are encouraged
to use the video at group meetings, schools, libraries, and community
centers. One might, for example, choose to screen the video and then serve
as a moderator-specialist to highlight and clarify certain concepts, take
questions, and facilitate discussion.
This sixteen minute video stars two well-known members of the toxicology
community and SOT, John Doull and Ann de Peyster,
and a cast of characters as average citizens who, in the course of their
daily activities, must confront issues related to lead paint, vitamin
A, ozone, and warfarin. An acronym, “RITE,” developed by TEF and illustrated
in the video, is used to explain that Risk Is a function of both Toxicity
and Exposure. This mnemonic device helps reinforce the toxicological principles
discussed.
“Is it Safe?” is available via streaming video at TEF’s
Web site and on DVD, available from TEF. The video is the latest of
a number of significant outreach products created by TEF, which continues
to seek new ways to broaden its educational reach and transmit authoritative
toxicological information to the public and other audiences. For more
information about the video and TEF’s work, or to contribute, contact
the Foundation at:
Toxicology Education Foundation
P.O. Box 31021
Raleigh, NC 27622-1021
tefhq@toxedfoundation.org
(919) 676-4666
