A framework for chemical safety assessment incorporating new approach methodologies within REACH

Scientists from the Centre for chemical safety assessment, ECETOC, have published on Archives of Toxicology a new framework to assess the safety of chemicals that incorporates ‘new approach methodologies’ (NAMs), such as computer modelling, or experiments carried out in test tubes or petri dishes.

The current EU regulatory system does not easily allow NAMs to be used to assess chemical toxicity, but the proposed framework enables science-based safety decisions that have the same level of public health protection, while using fewer animal tests and taking up less time and fewer resources.