More specifically, the goal of toxicovigilance is to identify specific circumstances or agents giving rise to poisoning, or certain populations suffering a higher incidence of poisoning.
This way, emerging toxicological issues can be revealed, such as the reformulation of a chemical product or a change to its packaging or labelling, the spread of a new illegal drug, or a hazardous environmental contamination.
Once an issue has been identified, appropriate health and other authorities can be alerted so they can take the necessary preventive, repressive or regulatory measures.
Because of this, practising toxicovigilance is often one of the core tasks of a poison control center.
They are all are aspects of the broader concept of public health surveillance.