Citation:

Malloy, T., V. Zaunbrecher, E. Beryt, R. Judson, R. Tice, P. Allard, A. Blake, I. Cote, H. Godwin, L. Heine, P. Kerzic, J. Kostal, G. Marchant, J. McPartland, K. Moran, A. Nel, O. Ogunseitan, M. Rossi, K. Thayer, J. Tickner, M. Whittaker, AND K. Zarker. Advancing Alternatives Analysis: The Role of Predictive Toxicology in Selecting Safer Chemical Products and Processes. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, KS, 13(5):915-925, (2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.1923

Impact/Purpose:

Invited review on using alternative methods for alternatives assessment – a result of a workshop at UCLA

Description:

Chemical Alternatives analysis (AA) is a method used in chemical regulation and product design to identify, compare, and evaluate the safety and viability of potential substitutes for existing products or processes that use hazardous chemicals. This approach requires toxicological data for the existing chemical and potential alternatives. Predictive toxicology uses in silico (e.g., structure-activity relationships) and in vitro (e.g., high-throughput screening) approaches, computational models based on mechanisms of toxicity, and other tools to expedite toxicological data generation on human and environmental health in more cost-effective manner than is offered by traditional, animal-based approaches. These attributes make it a promising tool for use in AA. However, the application of predictive toxicology, both in AA and for other regulatory purposes, faces challenges such as (1) the validation and integration of multiple and diverse predictive data, (2) the translation into whole organisms, and (3) the overall confidence around these methodologies. At the recent Advancing Alternatives Analysis conference, professionals outlined challenges to using predictive toxicology in AA with a focus on the regulatory context, and developed a road map for integration. Participants articulated four recommendations that support a staggered introduction of predictive toxicology in AA. Such work would advance AA, and potentially the use of predictive toxicology in regulation more broadly.

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