National Toxicology Program

Plan Overview	Preface
Executive Summary	Introduction
CHAPTER 1 - Research, Development, Translation, and Validation Activities for Priority Test Methods to Reduce, Refine, and Replace Animals in Regulatory Testing
CHAPTER 2 - Incorporating New Science and Technology
CHAPTER 3 - Fostering Acceptance and Appropriate Use of Alternative Test Methods
CHAPTER 4 - Developing Partnerships and Strengthening Interactions with ICCVAM Stakeholders
References - Acronyms and Abbreviations - Glossary	Appendices
Acknowledgements - ICCVAM Roster - About NICEATM and ICCVAM

Preface

The National Toxicology Program Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM) and the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) prepared this five-year plan in response to requests from the Appropriations Committees of the United States House of Representative and the U.S. Senate. The plan describes how NICEATM and ICCVAM will foster and promote research, development, translation, and validation of alternative test methods that will reduce, refine, and replace the use of animals for safety testing, while maintaining scientific quality and the protection of human health, animal health, and the environment.

Several Federal agencies are responsible for safeguarding human and animal health and the environment. To assess health and environmental risks, Federal agencies develop and adopt test methods to evaluate the potential hazards or safety of chemicals and other products. Scientists are using advanced science and technology to develop new and revised safety assessment methods that promise to provide improved accuracy, time and cost savings, and further reduction, refinement and replacement of animal use.

ICCVAM and NICEATM serve a unique role in evaluating the usefulness and limitations of new safety testing methods and helping to achieve acceptance of those found to be scientifically valid for regulatory purposes. This interagency cooperation by 15 Federal agencies and programs provides a more efficient and effective mechanism for Federal test method reviews. ICCVAM seeks to ensure that new and revised test methods meet the needs of Federal agencies while reducing, refining and replacing the use of animals in testing where scientifically feasible. During its first ten years, ICCVAM reviewed and recommended numerous alternative methods that are now accepted and used not only in the U.S. but also throughout our global community. This five-year plan builds on experience gained during those first ten years and describes ICCVAM and NICEATM plans and priorities for the next five years.

ICCVAM and NICEATM are committed to transparency and stakeholder involvement in all activities. Accordingly, this plan was developed with multiple opportunities for public input. As we address the challenges described in this plan, we will seek increased stakeholder collaborations. We are confident that enhanced cooperation will speed the development and validation of alternative test methods of high scientific quality that will further reduce, refine and replace the use of animals in safety testing.

We thank our many government and non-government stakeholders for their continued support of NICEATM and ICCVAM, and look forward to future productive partnerships that will benefit both public health and animal welfare.