ECHA has sent the first requests to registrants asking them to inform ECHA of their considerations of alternative methods to support their testing proposals involving vertebrate animals. This affects testing proposals made since 11 September 2015.

The information received will be published together with the testing proposals on ECHA's testing proposals consultation web page. Third parties can take this into account when deciding whether to submit relevant information about the substance from alternative methods that may avoid the test. Registrants could consider this information instead of testing on vertebrate animals to fulfil the REACH information requirements. In such cases, the registrant must show that the main objectives of the REACH Regulation, to ensure a high level of protection of human health and environment, can be achieved without the performance of a vertebrate test.

ECHA's Executive Director Geert Dancet says: " ECHA is committed to avoiding any unnecessary testing on animals while ensuring the safe use of chemicals. This new information request to registrants proposing a vertebrate animal test is one of the steps ECHA promised to take. Human health, safe environment and innovation are the main goals of the REACH Regulation but in ECHA's view, any unnecessary testing on vertebrate …