ALTEX :: Alternatives to Animal Experiments

1998, VOLUME 4

OECD Pushes Antiquated Animal Test for Endocrine Disrupting Activity

Roman Kolar

Akademy for Animal Welfare, D-Neubiberg

SUMMARY

The OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) plans to set up a guideline for chemical testing (the "Immature Rat Utereo-trophic Bioassay Screening Test") on the basis of an obsolete animal assay to standardize routine testing for endocrine disrupting activity. The proposed method will not do justice to the protection of consumers and the environment. On the other hand a number of promising in vitro methods exist that can be used to study the (also mechanistc) effects of substances on the endocrine system. Therefore, from the animal point of view, too, the OECD proposal is unacceptable.

Keywords: animal experimentation, animal welfare, toxicology, endocrine disrupters, hormones, in vitro methods, replacement, refinement, OECD Guidelines