In contrast to the prohealth attitude and its advancement in the 1980s, the 1990s show a growing individualism that may lead to the withdrawal from pro-health and pro-environmental policies. There is also a growing shortage of independent experts and a trend towards attacks on animal cancer bioassays. However mechanistic studies unraveling the genes and proteins underlying cancer are likely to flourish and molecular markers are likely to be applied in epidemiologic studies in the emerging field of molecular epidemiology. In addition molecular biologists are suggesting new forms of cancer therapy, directed towards blocking oncogenes or their protein products and enhancing the body`s own defense mechanisms.

Key terms animal bioassay; bioassay; cancer; cancer research; epidemiology; genotoxicity; genotoxicity test