Delegates also called for the abolition of key stage one tests at age seven and the replacement of tests at key stages two and three by "national sampling" and assessments.
However, the neutral red assay (3 T3 NRU) is a validated method for the replacement of tests involving animals [ 37].
Although the College Board had been considering changing SAT I for several years as some colleges dropped it from their requirements, the momentum to do so increased after Dr. Richard C. Atkins, president of the University of California, called nearly a year ago for replacement of the test, which is viewed by many as favoring students from middle- and upper-income families.
The test battery may thus constitute an important step towards the replacement of animal tests by information-rich human cell-based models (Hartung and Leist 2008; Leist et al. 2008b).
An extension of the "cell biochip" idea has also allowed "organ interactions on chip", which can be considered as a first step towards the replacement of animal testing using a combined liver/lung organ model.
In fact, many of the participating scientists envision the complete replacement of animal tests, and see this work as prompting a long overdue, and desperately needed, revolution in the regulation of chemicals.
The 7th Amendment to the Cosmetics Directive (Directive 76/768/EEC) aims for the complete replacement of animal testing by 2013.
Importantly, by combining various assays, it is possible to derive mechanistic toxicity data that complement descriptive toxicity assessments while also achieving replacement of animal testing.
The thought was that simultaneous agency evaluation of new methods that addressed the 3Rs (reduction, refinement, and replacement) of animal testing by an interagency group could greatly speed up and harmonize the cross-agency acceptance and adoption of new methods into federal toxicity testing guidelines.
The actual bar, however, is apparently quite a bit lower, with the company allowing for replacement regardless of testing.
