Alternative Test Methods:
Validation and Regulatory Status

Corrositex®
Description and references

EU: Endorsed as valid by ECVAM for
testing acids, bases and their derivatives (2000)

US: Corrositex® endorsed as valid by ICCVAM as a stand-alone assay for evaluating the corrosivity or noncorrosivity of acids, bases, and acid derivatives. For other chemical and product classes Corrositex is valid for use as part of a tiered assessment strategy (1999)

OECD: TG 435 (2006)

US: Accepted as an alternative to a procedure specified in the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Hazardous Materials Regulations (DOT-SP 10904) for DOT packing group classification of corrosive materials (1999)

Replacement
(for  testing acids and bases)

OR

Reduction
(Other substances identified as corrosive will not progress to animal tests)

Transcutaneous Electrical Resistance (TER) Test (In Vitro Skin Corrosion)
Description and references

EU: Endorsed as  valid by ECVAM for  distinguishing between corrosive and non-corrosive chemicals (1998)

US: Endorsed as valid by ICCVAM to identify corrosive chemicals (substances identified as non-corrosive will require confirmation with animal-based tests) (2002)

OECD: TG 430 (2004)

EU: The European Scientific Committee for Cosmetic Products and Non-food products (SCCNFP) supports use of this method for the safety assessment of chemicals used as cosmetic ingredients. (1998); Accepted for corrosivity testing (Method B.40 in Annex of  Commission Regulation 440/2008/EC) (2000, 2008)

Reduction
(skin from one
rat may be used to test up to five chemicals; in US substances identified as non-corrosive will require confirmation with animal-based tests)

Refinement
(Uses killed instead of live animal)

Human Skin Model Test  (EPISKIN^TM, EpiDerm^TM  and SkinEthic^TM)
Description and references

EU: EPISKIN^TM, EpiDerm^TM  and SkinEthic^TM endorsed as valid by ECVAM (1998, 2000, 2006)

OECD:  TG 431 (EPISKIN^TM and  EpiDerm^TM 2004; SkinEthic^TM included retroactively in 2006)

EU: EPISKIN^TM and  EpiDerm^TM  accepted for corrosivity testing (Method B.40 bis. in Annex of  Commission Regulation 440/2008/EC) (2000, 2008)

Replacement (EU)

OR

Reduction (US)
(Substances identified as corrosive will not progress to animal test)