IX The International Seminar on the Immunological System as a Target for
Toxic Damage was held at The Commission of the European Communities
(CEC) in Luxembourg on 6-9 November 1984. It was organized by the CEC
and the International Programme on Chemical Safety of UNEP/ILO/WHO with
the support of the u. S. Environmental Protection Agency and the
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences - USA and with the
participation of the International Society of Immunophar- macology.
These bodies are actively concerned with the scientific and applied
aspects of immunotoxicology. The Seminar consisted of thirty-four
invited papers and three major panel discussions covering current and
future test strategies for the screening of immunotoxic substances,
hypersensitivity and the health implications of immunotoxico- logical
problems. It was attended by more than 200 scien- tists from 27
countries representing all the Member states of the European Economic
Community and the six Regions of the World Health Organization. These
scientists represented many different disciplines and interests. The
Seminar's principal objectives were: a review of recent advances in
knowledge concerning the structure, function and dysfunction of the
immunological system; - a review of the effects of xenobiotics on the
immune system in animals and humans; an examination of the human health
implications of immunotoxicity; discussion and critical analysis of the
procedures for the assessment of immunological damage, a discussion of
needs for the further development of laboratory and epidemiological
methods and their validation, and a consideration of current test
strategies.