The UK Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act-Implications for the future of alternative toxicity tests

The UK Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 requires a project licence for all potentially harmful animal tests in regulatory toxicology. Full consideration has to be given to alternatives, to the use of hierarchical strategies and to adherence to published guidelines. Advice on these matters is available from the Inspectorate. The mechanisms for developing and implementing policies on hierarchical strategies and alternatives are discussed. The paper notes some of the problems in the general context of toxicology, and uses as an example the Home Office guidelines on eye irritation tests published in 1987. These areas of regulatory toxicology tests are being considered currently by the Animal Procedures Committee.