Recognized by EUROTOX.

Prepared by the registration commission elected at the AETOX Assembly

Introduction

As in other countries in which the national societies have taken on the task of compiling a Register of Toxicologists, the Spanish Association of Toxicology (AETOX) has, in accordance with article 6 of its articles of association which aims to favour relationships and cooperation amongst Spanish Toxicologists and those from other countries, constituted a Spanish Register of Toxicologists to include all those professionals who specialize in applied or basic Toxicology who apply for registration.

AETOX has taken into consideration the examples given by American and European societies as well as the recommendations of EUROTOX, which decided to encourage national societies to register toxicologists under their jurisdiction. The aim of this endeavour is to recognize and accredit the abilities and on-going toxicological activities of those people registered, and disseminate this information to other individuals or entities who may be interested.

Bearing in mind the wide spectrum covered by the discipline known as Toxicology, it seems pertinent to remember the definition of Toxicology and the requirements necessary in order for a scientist to be recognised as a Toxicologist:

• A Toxicologist is someone dedicated to the study of the present day or potential risks which come about due to the harmful effects of physical, chemical or biological agents on living organisms and ecosystems, and the relationship of side effects with exposure and the mechanisms of action, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of intoxication. Also included are those people dedicated to the teaching of said discipline.

The aim of the Register is to maintain a list of those Toxicologists who satisfy the stipulated requirements, being necessary to belong to AETOX.
This list will be published once a year, and it will be used to prepare certificates when they are required. The list will also be included in the EUROTOX Register, under the agreement reached with this entity, which will issue the corresponding European certificate.
All registered Toxicologists must maintain a high level of professional competence and ethical conduct. If this is not the case, then they will not be allowed to renew their registration.

Registration Committee

Decisions concerning inclusion and remaining on the Register will be made by the Registry Committee made up of four members including a representative of the Governing Body of AETOX. The other members must belong to one of the main institutions related to Toxicology, such as Scientific Investigation Institutes, The National Institute of Toxicology, public hospitals, the University or private industries. The members will act as expert toxicologists, and not as representatives of their institutions.

The Committee is made up of the Chair and three members, and its role is to decide on the inclusion of applicants and their maintenance on the Register, to safeguard, update and publish the list of registered toxicologists once a year, to report to the AETOX General Assembly and maintain a close relationship with the EURTOX Registration Committee.

The term of office of the Committee will be three years, and the persons who form part of it may be re-elected for a maximum of two consecutive terms in the same office.
Applications for inclusion in the Register will be sent via email to the Registration coordinator, who will then distribute them to the two members of the Committee closest to the specific field of the applicant for evaluation, based on established criteria, and a decision will be issued. In case of doubts, the documentation will be sent to all the committee members, and the final decision will be made by simple majority. If an application is rejected, due to not fulfilling the Regulations, the applicant will be informed of the reasons for its rejection.

The Committee will assess the need for face-to-face meetings, which will take place once a year at the same time as the AETOX Assemblies, to study possible incidents, assess the general functioning of the procedures and any possible rectifications, and to publish the Lists of Registered Toxicologists.

Composition of the Committee of the Spanish Registry of Toxicologists

Name	Office	Speciality
María José Ruiz Leal	Chair (Coordinator)	Experimental Toxicology/Education
Eduardo de la Peña de Torres	Member	Experimental toxicology
Juan Carlos Ríos Bustamante	Member	Clinical Toxicology/Toxicological Information
Francisco Soler Rodríguez	Member	Veterinary Toxicology / Education

 

Requirements for inclusion in the Register

• Being a member of AETOX.
• To be actively involved in Toxicology at the time of application.
• The applicant must have a Bachelor’s Degree or Degree in one of the following fields: Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacy, Environmental Science, Food Science and Technology, Chemistry, Engineering, Medicine, Human and Dietetic Nutrition, Veterinary Science, Nursing or an equivalent. If the applicant has alternative training, the committee will evaluate this on an individual basis.
• Have passed a written exam of the type that other internationally recognized Toxicological Registries require for their own register, and have at least 3 years of relevant toxicological experience. Or, accredit at least 5 years of relevant toxicological experience with proven training and experience in any field of Toxicology.
• An appropriate and consistent curriculum: Toxicological training, participation in research projects, management of doctoral theses, toxicological studies in companies or businesses, risk assessment reports, expert reports, toxicological publications or equivalent activities. Applicants must provide a report from three expert toxicologists, each from a different institution, who endorse their application and confirm their experience, competence and current involvement in Toxicology.

Application for Registration

The following documents should be sent by email to the Committee coordinator:

• Form # 1 (application form).
• Form # 2 (cover letters).
• Form # 3 (special model of curriculum exclusively related to toxicological activity).
• Copy of the bank receipt for the stipulated fees paid into the AETOX- Registry of Toxicologists bank account.

The necessary documents can be downloaded via the following link

Continuance on the Register of Toxicologists

Continuance on the Register will be for a period of 5 years, after which it will be necessary to apply to remain on the Register by providing documentation related to the applicant’s curriculum (attendance certificates at conferences, training courses, teaching activity, company certificates) that shows on-going involvement in Toxicology which the Committee will evaluate.

Registration fees

The fee for submission of the application and for continuation on the register can be found on the AETOX website (Fees for the Registry of Toxicologists). These fees will be updated periodically based on the requirements of EUROTOX since the main purpose of these fees is to pay for the right to be included on the EUROTOX list and the issuance of the certificate from EUROTOX.

Legal Notice

In accordance with Organic Law 15/1999 concerning the Protection of Personal Data, and given that the objective of the Register is to publish a List of Registered Toxicologists whenever deemed necessary in order to benefit both the toxicologists and Toxicology, it is considered that applicants expressly consent to the publication of the List containing their names and specialities. However, another List containing more comprehensive data concerning the applicant will be kept in the administration office.

To send your application, or for more information, please contact the Committee coordinator:

Maria-Jose Ruiz Pharm. PhD – m.jose.ruiz@uv.es
Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain