You are here:
THE FUTURE OF TOXICITY TESTING AND ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AGENTS
Impact/Purpose:
To develop a long-range vision and strategic plan for advancing the practices of toxicity testing and human health assessment for environmental contaminants.
Description:
The National Research Council's Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology is conducting a two-part study to assess and advance current approaches to toxicity testing and assessment to meet regulatory data needs. The first part of the study was completed January 2006, in which the committee prepared a report reviewing selected aspects of several relevant reports by EPA and others on this topic. In the second part of the study currently underway, the committee will prepare a final report presenting a long-range vision and strategic plan for advancing the practices of toxicity testing and human health assessment for environmental contaminants. In developing the vision and strategic plan, the committee will consider evolving regulatory data needs; current toxicity testing guidelines and standards used by EPA and other federal agencies; the use of emerging science and tools (e.g., genomics, proteomics, transgenics, bioinformatics, computational toxicology, in vitro testing, and other alternatives to animal testing); and the challenges of incorporating more complex understanding of toxicity (e.g., toxicokinetics, mechanisms of action, systems biology) into human health risk assessment. The final report is expected to be released as early as the end of January, 2007.