An official website of the United States government.

This is not the current EPA website. To navigate to the current EPA website, please go to www.epa.gov. This website is historical material reflecting the EPA website as it existed on January 19, 2021. This website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work. More information »

Second Annual Conference on the State of Science on Development and Use of NAMs for Chemical Safety Testing

On September 10, 2019,  EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler signed a directive that prioritized efforts to reduce animal testing. The memorandum called for the agency to reduce its requests for, and funding of, mammal studies by 30 percent by 2025, and eliminate all mammal study requests and funding by 2035. Any mammal studies requested or funded by EPA after 2035 will require administrator approval on a case-by-case basis. 
 
EPA hosted the Second Annual Conference on the State of the Science on Development and Use of New Approach Methods (NAMs) for Chemical Safety Testing virtually on October 19 & 20, 2020. 
 
On this page:

Conference Background

EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) and Office of Research and Development (ORD) hosted the First Annual Conference on the State of the Science on Development and Use of New Approach Methods (NAMs) for Chemical Safety Testing on December 10, 2019. The Second Annual NAMs conference was held Oct. 19-20, 2020.

These annual conferences are one of EPA’s commitments as set forth in the "Directive to Prioritize Efforts to Reduce Animal Testing" memorandum Administrator Andrew Wheeler signed on September 10, 2019 calling for the Agency to reduce its use of mammalian studies. 

Agenda topics

  • Implementation of Animal Testing Reduction at EPA
  • State of the Science in Development of NAMs (Case Studies)
  • Addressing Current Limitations in NAMs
  • Developing Scientific Confidence in NAMs

Logistical Details

Date

The conference was held virtually October 19-20, 2020

Conference Agenda, Presentations, Recordings and Materials 

2020 Agenda
Conference Summary
EPA Administrator Wheeler's Opening RemarksExit
Recording of Day OneExit
Recording of Day TwoExit
Transcript of Administrator Wheeler's Opening remarks

Presentation

Presenter

Affiliation

Overview of EPA NAMs Work Plan

Russell Thomas

EPA

Progress on Implementing the TSCA Alternatives Strategic Plan 

Gino Scarano

EPA

Using Chemical, Biological, and In Vivo Data for NAMs: Which data do we have, and what can we do with it?

Andreas Bender

Cambridge

Transcriptome-Based Derivation of an In Vivo POD: Current and Future Utility

Kamin Johnson

Corteva

“Fit for Purpose” for Organotypic Models in Environmental Health Protection

Ivan Rusyn

Texas A&M

Retrofitting an Estrogen Receptor Transactivation Assay with Metabolic Competence

Chad Deisenroth

EPA

In Vitro Disposition of Tox21 Chemicals: Initial Results and Next Steps

David Crizer

NTP6

An OECD Harmonized Template (OHT) to Report NAM Results in Regulatory Environments: Principles and Practical Use

Clemens Wittwehr

JRC

Case Study #1: Integration of NAM Data for Evaluating Potential Developmental Neurotoxicity

Monique Perron

EPA

Case Study #2: Integration of NAM Data in a Next Generation Risk Assessment for Cosmetic Ingredients

Andrew White

Unilever

Case Study #3: Incorporating the Threshold of Toxicological Concern into Regulatory Decisions under the Amended Toxic Substances Control Act

Todd Stedeford

EPA

Additional Links