The challenges of teratology

Teratology has its origins in the descriptive anatomy of malformed humans. Although the term now has much wider connotations, the first challenge of teratology is to recognise its purpose as a science related to a human problem. The wider connotations inevitably mean the involvement of increasing numbers of disciplines, each with its own language and limitations, but each with a unique contribution to make. The second challenge of teratology is therefore to establish and expand communications between these disciplines. The third challenge is teratogenesis, which requires a rather more profound consideration of the nature of causation than a simple cause-and-effect relationship. At the same time as looking back from consequences to causes, we must look forward from the causes to alternative consequences. The affinity of teratogenesis, carcinogenesis, and mutagenesis constitutes the fourth challenge. The fifth challenge brings us back to humans, and lies in the relationships between scientists working within the field of teratology, and industry, the law, the media, and the public at large.