“The ASPIS cluster, comprised of three scientific consortia (PrecisionTox, ONTOX, RISK-HUNT3R), sent a letter to the European Commission and Parliament to recognise the importance of non-animal methods in chemical safety assessment.”
To find out more and access the full letter, please click here.
The RISK-HUNT3R project is pleased to invite all interested stakeholders to its upcoming Stakeholder Symposium, taking place on the 13th and 14th of June 2023 at Hotel Zuiderduin in Egmond aan Zee, Netherlands.
The event will be dedicated to RISK-HUNT3R partners and stakeholders from industry, regulatory organizations, and international initiatives on new approach methods (NAM)-based chemical risk assessment.
The objectives for the participants of the RISK-HUNT3R Stakeholder Symposium are to:
The agenda is available to all. Online registration is closed.
For further information, please contact the Project Office at riskhunt3r_arttic@eurtd.com.
The ASPIS Open Symposium happened during the 21st European Society of Toxicology In Vitro (ESTIV) Congress on 24-25 November 2022 in Sitges, Barcelona (Spain), a bi-annual appointment aiming to create a forum of scientists in a unique atmosphere for discussions and knowledge exchange focusing on the development of in vitro and in silico approaches.
During this event, the ASPIS cluster presented the work performed by the three Horizon 2020 projects composing the consortia (ONTOX, PrecisionTOX, and RISKHUNT3R). The objectives of the ASPIS Open Symposium included:
From 4 to 8 July 2022, the General Assembly Meeting of RISK-HUNT3R took place in Egmond aan Zee, the Netherlands.
This event was an opportunity for the project members to discuss together progress and challenges towards NGRA, during the general assembly and parallel sessions.
Young researchers presented their work through posters and short oral presentations and took part in different training sessions and workshops organised in connection with the consortium meeting.
Working towards the ambition to achieve a “toxic-free” environment by 2050, the European Commission is currently hosting a public consultation on the revision of the Regulation on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH Regulation). Stakeholders and citizens have until 15 April 2022 to provide their inputs on how to better protect health and the environment from harmful substances while reducing animal testing.
However, several NGOs and industries have gravely criticized the multiple-choice survey distributed by the Commission, arguing that its questions are biased in ways suggesting that reducing and replacing traditional animal testing with New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) will weaken protection from chemical hazards while hampering the competitiveness of the EU industry.
The language of the survey is misleading because it contradicts the tremendous scientific progress in a wide range of fields developing and using NAMs for precision medicine and safety sciences. These methods include: in silico (computer-based modeling) methodologies; robust in vitro test methods, such as human cell line cultures, fresh leftover human surgical material, stem cell technology-derived test methods, micro-physiological systems involving multicellular organoids and organ-on-a-chip, and alternative model species; genomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics technologies; and Artificial Intelligence analysis strategies. Several NAM-based approaches have been successfully validated and implemented in regulatory frameworks worldwide and are used in sophisticated testing strategies outperforming the traditional in vivo approaches.
The wording of the questionnaire can potentially damage the very confidence and trust that the industry and research communities need to further support the development and uptake of NAMs by the private sector towards a new market for chemical safety testing and the design of safer chemicals that can maintain Europe’s leading position worldwide.
With the financial support of the EU H2020 programme, our three consortia – ONTOX, PrecisionTox and RISK-HUNT3R – collaborate to build confidence in NAMs to improve chemical safety assessment while striving to reduce, refine and replace (the 3Rs) animal testing. The name of our cluster, “ASPIS” refers to a revolutionary Ancient Greek defensive tool designed to better protect against opposing forces by joining together our defenses. NAMs are important tools that are improving chemical safety assessment to better ensure human and environmental health.
We are committed to support the Commission’s ambition for a toxic-free environment with our research and innovation towards precision toxicology for enhancing the protection of humans and the environment by developing NAMs as essential and valuable tools for EU and international regulatory bodies to close the knowledge gaps in chemical safety assessment.
On behalf of the ASPIS CLUSTER:
We would like to express our solidarity with Ukrainian toxicologists, scientists, students, and the whole Ukrainian nation. We fully condemn the unprovoked military aggression of the Russian government against Ukraine, and we join the numerous calls from around the world for a swift return to diplomatic relations and respect of International Law.
Today, our thoughts are with all the victims of this act of war – the displaced people, separated families, including Russian and Belarusian academics, journalists and citizens who protest against this illegal invasion and support fundamental human rights, regardless of the consequences.
Our 70 academic, private and public partners want to convey their support to the Ukrainian researchers and students. ASPIS is driven by free thought and exchange of knowledge and we will continue our research collaboration with all those who defend peace and democratic values across borders.
ASPIS CLUSTER: