Scientific Roadmap for the Future of Animal-free Systemic Toxicity Testing May 30-31, 2013

Scientific Roadmap for the Future of Animal-free Systemic Toxicity Testing Workshop

May 30-31, 2013
U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Wiley Building
College Park, Maryland

Systemic toxicity testing includes a diverse array of assessments, such as testing for carcinogenicity, reproductive effects, and skin sensitization, as well as the effects of repeated dosing and the pattern of toxicokinetics. The scientific challenges of developing non-animal approaches to systemic toxicity testing are formidable. These challenges have taken on greater urgency in the context of the recently enacted mandate that cosmetics marketed in Europe should be free of animal testing, including for systemic endpoints. We believe the time is ripe to advance a forward-looking strategy to accelerate the development of the science for systemic toxicity testing of cosmetics and others products. We strongly believe that such a focused effort applies to regions outside of Europe and to products and industries outside of cosmetics.

The scientific roadmap was the product of an October 2011 workshop held under the auspices of the transatlantic think tank for toxicology (t4). Five whitepapers on systemic toxicity were prepared for workshop, taking a broad perspective on how to make further progress. The outcome was published as "A roadmap for the development of alternative (non-animal) methods for systemic toxicity testing," by Basketter et al. in January 2012 issue of ALTEX. The roadmap was favorably reviewed and discussed at a follow-up open meeting in Brussels in March, 2012, co-organized by numerous organizations and attended by some 150 experts.

The May 30-31 workshop will provide a similar forum but in a US setting. The program includes ample opportunity for public discussion of the roadmap, as well as its possible updating in light of more recent developments. The co-organizers of the College Park workshop are listed below. The US FDA is kindly hosting the event.

The workshop is free-of-charge and the venue is convenient to the Washington, DC-area Metro system. For security purposes, pre-registration is required. To register and to learn about area hotels, restaurants, etc., email Marilyn Prinicpe.

Organizing Committee:

Mel Andersen, The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences

Leon Bruner, Grocery Manufacturers Association

Warren Casey, US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Rodger Curren, Institute for In Vitro Sciences

Suzanne Fitzpatrick, US Food and Drug Administration

Francis Kruszewski, American Cleaning Institute

Sue Leary, Alternatives Research and Development Foundation

Jessica Sandler, PETA International Science Consortium

Nigel Skinner, Agilent

Martin Stephens, Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing

Kristie Sullivan, American Society for Cellular and Computational Toxicology and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine