Which study focuses on the harmful or toxic effects of drugs?

Toxicology is the study that specifically investigates the harmful or toxic effects of drugs and other substances on living organisms. This field encompasses the identification, assessment, and management of the adverse effects that can arise from exposure to drugs, chemicals, and environmental pollutants. Toxicologists aim to understand the mechanisms of toxicity, dose-response relationships, and risk assessment to ensure safety in drug use and exposure.

In contrast, pharmacology is a broader scientific discipline that studies drugs in terms of their therapeutic effects, mechanisms of action, interactions, and overall pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, but it does not exclusively focus on toxic effects. Pathology deals more with the study of disease and its abnormalities rather than the toxicology of substances. The term "drugology" is not a formally recognized field within pharmacological sciences. Therefore, toxicology is clearly the appropriate choice when it comes to studying the toxic effects of drugs.