It was founded in 1962 with an aim to advance knowledge on venoms, poisons and toxins of animal, plant and microbial origin.
[4] In 1962 a group of scientists and clinicians who have made significant contributions to toxinology joined forces to establish a working society.
[1][5] The Society aims to advance knowledge on the properties of toxins and antitoxins and to bring together scholars interested in the field.
World Congresses of the Society and Symposia of the IST-Sections (European, Pan-American, Asia-Pacific) are regularly organised to promote communication and exchange of results in toxinology research.
[3][6] At the Asia-Pacific Section Congress in Vietnam in December 2008, a proposal by Prof David Warrell (recipient of the Redi Award 2012) that The Global Snakebite Initiative be formally endorsed as an official initiative of the IST was passed, and confirmed unanimously at the IST World Congress in Recife, Brazil, in March 2009.