Archive
Defined Approaches for EPA Testing
July 26, 2018The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) continues to drive significant efforts in the United States to modernize the battery of acute toxicity tests classically known as the “6-pack.” Known for many years as an “all in vivo” testing strategy for products registered under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the 6-pack was revised in 2015 to include non-animal (in vitro/ex vivo) test methods for classification and labeling for Eye Irritation, both for commonly used household cleaning products...
Abstract Deadline Extended for EUSAAT 2018
June 21, 2018The 21st European Congress on Alternatives to Animal Testing & 18th Annual Congress of EUSAAT (European Society for Alternatives to Animal Testing) will take place in Linz, Austria, 23-26 September. Submission deadlines for both oral and poster presentations have been extended to July 6. Erin Hill and Rodger Curren from IIVS are both speaking at the event. Learn more about the meeting, including the scientific program, invited speakers, and how to register. ...
Abstract Deadline Extended for ESTIV 2018
June 18, 2018The 20th International Congress on In Vitro Toxicology (ESTIV2018) happening in Berlin, 15-18 October, has extended their abstract submission deadline to July 1. Several grants and bursaries are also still open to applicants until July 1, including the PETA International Science Consortium early-career scientist award. Learn more about the meeting, including the scientific program, invited speakers, and how to register. ...
Holger Behrsing, PhD, Participates in Round Table Discussion on Non-Animal Approaches for Inhalation Toxicology
June 14, 2018Holger Behrsing, PhD, was recently invited to participate in an expert round table discussion convened on the development and implementation of 21st century non-animal approaches to assess the toxicity of inhaled substances. The discussion included perspectives from government, industry, nonprofit, and academic sectors on the advantages and challenges of using these approaches, ongoing efforts, and steps needed to gain widespread use and acceptance of these approaches. A transcript of the discussion has just been published in Applied In Vitro Toxicology, Vol....
EPA to Accept Non-Animal Skin Test Data
April 12, 2018The EPA has released a new policy that will allow chemical and pesticide makers to provide the EPA with data from non-animal test methods when assessing for skin allergies. Congratulations to the EPA OPP team for working so hard to put in place this new policy. Read the article here....
IIVS and BASF Collaborate to Distribute Test Method to Replace Animal Testing in China
January 9, 2018GAITHERSBURG, MD – January 9, 2018 – The Institute for In Vitro Sciences, Inc. (IIVS) today announced a collaboration with BASF to import a non-animal, cell based, safety test into China. The LuSens test, developed by BASF, is an in vitro test to detect the sensitization potential of chemicals to human skin. The test was developed to be license free and shared with the scientific community at-large. It has recently been incorporated into the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development...
Video: Bovine Corneal Opacity & Permeability Test – Spanish
October 16, 2017This 13- minute training video demonstrates how to perform the BCOP assay according to the Test Guidelines set forth for the assay by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD TG 437). The video focuses on steps that are critical to the success of the assay such as handling of the isolated cornea and removal of the test material from the cornea at the conclusion of the exposure time. ...
Quality Considerations: Redefining Test Systems from Animals to Tissues and Beyond
August 28, 2017The use of non-whole animal test methods transforms the way regulatory requirements are applied in preclinical testing. Recent global regulatory initiatives emphasize the importance of transitioning to human relevant assays and test systems that do not use animals. When these methods are moved from research into the regulated arena, GLP principles must be followed. The GLPs were originally written in the 1970s, when the vast majority of regulated research was performed using animals as the test system. Current innovative, alternative...
Addressing the Assignment of US EPA Hazard Categories for Dermal Safety by a Revised Prediction Model of the Validated In Vitro Skin Irritation Test (OECD TG 439)
March 30, 2017One of the current goals of the United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pesticide Programs (US EPA OPP) is to replace by non-animal testing methods as many of the endpoints of the battery of acute toxicity tests known as the “6-pack” as possible. One of the “6-pack” tests is the Draize rabbit test for dermal irritation. We investigated whether the validated in vitro Skin Irritation Test (SIT, OECD TG 439) can be used to determine US EPA OPP dermal...
Webinar: How GLPs Enhance the Quality of Regulated and Non-Regulated Toxicology
October 18, 2016This one-hour webinar, led by IIVS Director of Quality and Compliance, introduces some of the concepts of Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs) designed to promote study and data integrity within an in vitro toxicology framework. Applying these concepts within your own laboratory should aid in production of robust, repeatable studies. View Slides...