Alternative tests make the grade.

Toxicity testing is absolutely necessary for assessing the safety of substances in food, air, and water, in the workplace and at home. Although there are several tried-and-true toxicity assays, the search is always on for methods that can even better predict toxic effects. As scientific understanding of the effects of environmental toxicants grows, new tests are needed to evaluate previously unexamined end points and to take advantage of advances in biotechnology and the growing knowledge of how toxicants work at the molecular and cellular levels. Another issue is how to develop tests that can reliably and accurately assess toxicity using less time, money, and materials, and with greater regard for animal welfare. The Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) was established in 1997 to address these needs through the development, validation, acceptance, and harmonization of new and revised toxicological test methods throughout the federal government.