ECVAM shifts focus to tests required under new cosmetics and chemicals legislation
The European centre for the validation of alternative methods has been restructured in order to address the ramifications of new EU legislation on chemicals and cosmetics testing. ECVAM, part of the Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), seeks to promote the scientific and regulatory acceptance of non-animal tests of importance to biomedical sciences through research, test development and validation. The centre's work has now been divided into 11 key areas which directly target the animal tests which need to be replaced with alternative methods. The new key areas are the following: - systemic toxicity; - topical toxicity; - sensitisation; - carcinogenicity; - reproductive toxicity; - toxicokinetics; - ecotoxicology; - scientific information services; - quantitative structure-activity relationships; - biologicals; - strategic development.