Alternatives to Animal Testing: Opportunities and Limitations in the Regulatory Framework  
 
Date: Wednesday 7th May 2003
Time: 12.30 - 14.00
Location: Room A1E - 2, European Parliament, Brussels
 
  Synopsis  
  The proposed new regulations on chemicals proposed in the White Paper on Chemicals Policy will vastly increase the requirement for testing of chemical safety in Europe. Regulatory test procedures require large amounts of animal testing, results are based on consensus rather than on best scientific practice, there is little flexibility in test performance and protocol modification requires thorough validation.

The priority to develop more effective ways to test for safety applying alternative methods has been recognized, and several funds have been made available. Nonetheless, there is a general feeling that little has been achieved. This may be due to the fact that the scope for evaluating progress in this area has been too narrow, focusing on a few areas of regulatory testing only. Coenraad Hendriksen will provide his view of the actual situation, giving examples of successful alternative approaches. He will also address the issues arising in the implementation of these methods in regulatory testing.		  
  Speaker: Professor Coenraad F.M. Hendriksen  
  Coenraad F.M. Hendriksen, DVM, PhD, qualified in veterinary science from Utrecht University in the Netherlands and continued his postgraduate training in laboratory animal science. In 1989 he obtained his PhD from Utrecht University.

Hendriksen is animal welfare officer at the Netherlands Vaccine Institute (NVI) in Bilthoven. In addition, he holds a (part-time) chair on Alternatives to Animal Use at Utrecht University and he is head of the Netherlands Centre for Alternatives to Animal Use (NCA). His research activities are focused on the development and validation of methods to replace, reduce and/or refine the use of laboratory animals, especially in the field of the production and quality control of immunobiologicals. He is co-editor of several books and congress proceedings. He has been the Dutch representative of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the European Centre for Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) from 1992 until 2002.
  
  Hosting MEP: Bob van den Bos  
  Bob van den Bos, MEP, is a member of the Dutch Democraten 66 party and sits with the Group of the European Liberal, Democrat and Party in the European Parliament. He is a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Security and Defence policy. He was also a member of the Executive of the Dutch European Movement and Ambassador for the Dutch Animal Protection Association. He has published widely on international politics and European cooperation.

"I am pleased to be sponsoring the first of the AllChemE seminars," says Bob van den Bos. "The increased consciousness of the necessity of the three Rs: Refinement, Reduction and Replacement must lead to a new European legislation [on animal testing] through which national laws will be improved. The Commission's White Paper on the Strategy for a Future Chemicals Policy and the existing methods for genetic modification make this especially urgent."

Website: www.bobvandenbos.nl
  
  Co-sponsor: ZonMw  
  ZonMw (Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development) subsidises a range of projects in the broad area of health, prevention and care. These projects range
from basic research to modernisation of practice, including alternatives to animal experimentation in biomedical science. In this respect, ZonMw attaches great value to the meeting of policy, health and biomedical research and practice. That is because these three are inextricably bound to, and reciprocally influence, each other. ZonMw promotes the combined action and the interaction between practice, research and policy. This is done, for example, by making research knowledge available to policy makers and practice professionals. Or by ensuring that research is geared to policy issues or practical experiences. Or by encouraging the actual introduction of practicable research results into the daily practice of health care. The main customers for ZonMw are the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).

More information: ZonMW
  
  Other Information:  
 
  • All seminars are in English unless otherwise indicated.

  • All seminars are free. Sandwiches and drinks will be provided.

  • Seminars are open to all, however seats are given on a first-come first-served basis and there is no actual guarantee of reserving a seat.

  • All registrants will be personally contacted by e-mail at the latest one week before the event regarding their request.
  • For security reasons, it is preferable to register at least one week prior to the event. People submitting later registrations may be refused entry to the Parliament.
  
  Register >  

   
     
  Speaker:  
  Prof. Coenraad Hendriksen  
  Hosting MEP:  
  Bob van den Bos
  
  Co-sponsor:  
  ZonMw - Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development  
   
  Register >  
 
The AllChemE seminars are an open area for debate. The opinions expressed in the AllChemE seminars do not necessarily reflect the views of AllChemE or its partner organisations.