ALTERNATIVE Partners Participate in NAM Workshop
he European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) organized a two-day workshop from May 31st to June 1st, 2023, in Helsinki, Finland. The Workshop focused on new approach methodologies (NAMs) in chemical safety assessment which is also the focus for the project ALTERNATIVE. The event aimed to gather stakeholders and develop a shared understanding of the potential of NAMs in the short and long term.
ALTERNATIVE Partner Dr. Sivakumar Murugadoss from Sciensano participated in the workshop and gained valuable insights, which will benefit ALTERNATIVE.
The workshop comprised three main sessions that explored different aspects of NAMs and their role in chemical safety assessment:
- Hazard assessment for industrial chemicals: regulatory landscape and identifying critical needs.
- Opportunities for increasing the use of NAMs under the current chemical regulatory systems.
- Looking beyond current regulatory settings for a completely animal-free system.
During the sessions, stakeholders from various sectors shared their perspectives and ongoing activities related to NAMs. The discussions focused on critical elements to facilitate progress in this field. Encouragingly, all stakeholders exhibited a positive attitude towards NAMs, highlighting their potential to revolutionize chemical safety assessment practices.
It was unanimously agreed that a joint roadmap with well-defined milestones and goals, critical to ensure further advancement of NAMs. ECHA committed to develop this roadmap, emphasizing the need for strong commitment from all stakeholders. Increasing confidence in NAMs, targeted investment for NAM regulatory acceptance (including validation), Mutual acceptance of data, and establishing scientific and legal certainty were identified as other critical elements for this transition. The workshop concluded that stakeholders’ active involvement and input across various sectors and geographical regions are vital.
ECHA’s commitment to develop
a plan signifies a positive step forward, and Project ALTERNATIVE commits to sustained support and engagement as this is crucial to achieving the goal of animal-free chemical safety assessment.The workshop’s outcomes reflect the growing recognition of NAMs as a promising alternative to traditional animal testing methods.
With continued efforts and collaboration, the scientific community and regulatory bodies can work towards more sustainable and ethical practices in chemical safety assessment.
Keywords:
New approach methodologies (NAMs), European Chemical Agency (ECHA), chemical risk assessment
