Test Guidelines for Animal Toxicity Studies

It is possible to conduct animal studies in an infinite number of ways. Although individually designed studies are often scientifically sound, and in many cases serve a particular purpose very well, they pose problems in a regulatory context. Free movement of chemicals between countries is based on the mutual acceptance of the risk evaluation made by each country and this, in turn, relies on the mutual acceptance of the data generated when testing the chemicals. Experience has shown this acceptance to be extremely difticult, if chemicals have been tested by different methods. 

Therefore, the OECD has undertaken the development of a set of test guidelines, which are internationally agreed and therefore acceptable in all OECD member countries and nonmember countries accepting OECD standards (Sections 2.2.6 and 3.3.4). 

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