Progress Being Made
Progress is currently being made in the scientific realm, as working groups are undertaking new avenues to advance their efforts in understanding alternative testing strategies. One example is the replacement of six-pack studies, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) requires for new active pesticide ingredients. Six-pack studies test for:
- Acute oral toxicity
- Acute dermal toxicity
- Acute eye irritation
- Acute dermal irritation
- Skin sensitization
- Acute inhalation toxicity
Some new alternative methods have been shown to provide more accurate predictions in skin sensitization compared to current animal testing assessments. The future impact of these alternative testing strategies has the potential to revolutionize the toxicity testing landscape, generating new methods that will more accurately reflect the functions of the human body. New testing strategies would likely be faster, more accurate, and cheaper.
