In addition to the analytical challenges, equal or greater challenges lie in the interpretation of the results produced in our laboratories. This is true, not only relating to issues of human performance, but also to issues e.g. toxicity, drug interactions and the meaning of quantitative blood and tissue drug concentrations in death investigations. Simplistic interpretive strategies, assigning drug concentrations to therapeutic, toxic or fatal "bins", largely ignoring drug interactions, and treating the body as a single, static compartment, have increasingly been shown to be incomplete. In this regard, developing and maintaining professional relationships with other disciplines, such as clinical medicine and toxicology, pharmacology, analytical chemistry, and forensic pathology and psychology, is important in researching the relationships between drug toxicity and cause and manner of death, and the development of more sophisticated interpretive strategies.

Finally, with greater public focus on the forensic sciences in general, greater regulation of our profession is inevitable and appropriate. Accreditation of personnel, certification of laboratories, increased documentation, and greater levels of quality control will significantly impact the way we practice our craft.