Strategies to Reduce Animal Testing in US EPA's HPV Programme

Summary The High Production Volume (HPV) programme was launched by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1998. To reduce animals killed, the animal welfare community negotiated basic principles set forth in a letter from EPA to HPV participants, and reiterated in the Federal Register (2000). After five years reviewing more than 370 test plans, the outcome of this effort is disappointing. However, successful strategies were developed by these reviewers and in collaboration with conscientious companies to reduce testing and still meet the Screening Information Data Set (SIDS) requirements. These strategies are explored as they might apply to future testing programmes.