ALTEX :: Alternatives to Animal Experiments

1999, VOLUME 3

The ECVAM Scientific Information Service (SIS)

Annett Janusch-Roi and Michael Balls

ECVAM, Institute for Health & Consumer Protection, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, I-Ispra (VA)

SUMMARY

SIS was established in 1996 as one of ECVAM's high priority activities. SIS is designed as a unique information tool on alternative methods to animal experiments, with particular emphasis on non-animal test development and validation in relation to particular types of potential toxic hazard. SIS is characterised by factual and evaluated information. In addition to full method descriptions, more-detailed information is made available, to permit interrogations from a variety of different points of view. SIS is structured into the following main sectors:

  1. alternative methods at any stage of development and validation, including test method protocols for their use (dbAlm);
  2. full details of validation studies (dbVas); and
  3. the ECVAM Workshop and Task Force Reports.

Until now, SIS covers in total 21 topics in the area of in vitro toxicity testing, for which 17 Method Summaries, 155 Specific Techniques (including the whole INVITTOX protocol collection), 493 Test Results for 368 Test Compounds, 17 Evaluation Studies, and 1065 Bibliographic References are available. A test version of SIS with a first set of data is expected to be made publicly available through the Internet early in the year 2000. Data retrieval is ensured in a uniform and user-friendly way (User guidance), to address the requirements of different User profiles. The progress made in the collection of information has been as a result of collaborations with various institutions in Europe. Furthermore, a project on the development of a thesaurus on alternative methods has been initiated, as an outcome of the first ECVAM Database Task Force meeting, held in March 1999.

Keywords: 3R, database, factual information