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Metals and their compounds have long been recognizedas important toxic agents, causing acute andchronic poisoning cases in occupational settings andin environmental highexposure situations. In recentyears it has been demonstrated in epidemiologicalstudies that exposures in the general environment tolow levels of toxic metals may make an important contributionto the global burden of disease. Furthermore,deficient intakes of essential metals through food giverise to a considerable burden of disease from a globalperspective. There is an obvious need for preventiveaction to decrease this global burden of disease. It isalso important to address current concerns for possibleincreases of metal exposures. This chapter highlightssuch concerns in relation to the current status of thescientific understanding of the metals included anddiscussed fully in the relevant chapters of this Handbook.Furthermore, it draws attention to future directionsfor generating new knowledge to fill gaps in thecontinued quest to assemble the knowledge base necessaryfor the protection of human health from adverseconsequences related to exposure to metals.