Innovations in forensic medicine: reliability, validity, effectiveness

Forensic medicine is a science that combines general biological and medical knowledge. Research in this area aims to develop and refine the skills needed to perform both justice and practical health care tasks. The modernization of our society leads to the development of forensic science, and the priority is given to significant targeted challenges and requests of forensic and investigative practice. Current forensic medicine is a branch of medicine, rapidly developing due to the achievements of related natural science disciplines and information technologies. The article introduces the results of scientific research in forensic medicine, which are socially significant and aimed at solving expert tasks of national importance. The foundation for the regular education and the leading researches in the field of forensic science were laid down at the Department of Forensic Medicine at Sechenov University. On its basis a complex of topical scientific researches was carried out and breakthrough results were obtained on the following problematic issues: identification of personality, age-related morphology, forensic traumatology, morphological diagnosis of chronic drug intoxication, acute and chronic alcohol intoxication, and sudden death. The article describes the most significant achievements and identifies promising areas of research activities of the Y.I. Pigolkin’s scientific school.