How are Animal Welfare Issues being Considered in the HPV Initiative?
EPA recognizes the concerns that have been expressed about the use of test procedures that require the use of animals. As discussed in Unit II.E. of the document that is published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register (Ref. 27), EPA is making every effort to ensure that as the HPV Initiative is implemented, unnecessary or duplicative testing is avoided and the use of animals is minimized. As a general matter, EPA does not require that tests on animals be conducted if an alternative scientifically validated method is found acceptable and practically available for use. Where testing must be conducted to develop adequate data, the Agency is committed to reducing the number of animals used for testing, to replacing test methods requiring animals with alternative test methods when acceptable alternative methods are available, and to refining existing test methods to optimize animal use when there is no substitute for animal testing. EPA believes that these reduction, replacement,
