Reproductive toxicity testing under the REACH system -time for a paradigm shift

Combes, R.

ATLA, 35, 1-4 (2007)

The REACH legislation for chemicals risk assessment looks set to have a big impact on the numbers of laboratory animals that will be needed for tests to fill data gaps that exist for some 30,000 or so existing chemicals. However, this impact could be substantially reduced, if increasing demands to make maximum use of alternative testing methods were sincerely acted upon. As some 70% of the testing required will be for reproductive toxicity (potentially involving as many as 10,000 or so existing chemicals),2 this is a controversial issue among regulators, scientists and animal welfare and protection groups.