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Fig. 1 | Genes and Environment

Fig. 1

From: Discussion on the boundary of risk assessment and risk management

Fig. 1

The toxicology should look over the entire population including both the “disease-free population”, a target area of “hygienic” sciences, and the “patients”, a target area of “clinical” studies, as one continuous multifactorial entity. (a) A schematic presentation of the population with various degrees of hits towards the onset of a certain disease. The shape of the distribution may vary according to the type of disease and the hit number required for the onset of the disease. Here, the normal distribution for a multifactorial disease is postulated. Within the disease free population, an individual can accumulate more hits by ageing or by environmental insults (grey dot). At birth, genetic condition can vary among individuals such as non-carrier and carrier. Carriers are closer to the border between disease-free population and patients who need medication. (b) When the entire population, i.e. all individuals in the normal distribution, gets extra hit by a certain agent, there is a sudden increase in the number individuals who cross the line of onset line and become ill

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