Validation of in vitro Tests for Skin Corrosivity

There have been several highly significant achievements in the area of alternatives for skin corrosivity testing in the last three years, most notably: (a) the validation, and subsequent endorsement, of two replacement alternative tests for skin corrosivity (the rat skin transcutaneous electrical resistance [TER] and EPISKINtrade mark human skin model assays) by the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM); (b) an evaluation of the proposed OECD testing strategy for skin corrosion/irritation as it relates to the classification of corrosives; (c) completion of a successful prevalidation study on the use of the EpiDermtrade mark human skin model for corrosivity testing; (d) a review of CORROSITEXtrade mark by the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) in the US; and (e) the submission of draft new test guidelines on skin corrosion to the OECD Secretariat and EU National Coordinators (Annex V test methods). It is now hoped that regulatory acceptance of the validated in vitro tests for skin corrosivity, at both EU and OECD levels, will be secured as quickly as possible.