At the same time, they point out that the novel methods and approaches (New Approach Methodologies, or NAMs) still need to be further tested and standardized. The goal, however, they say, must be "a new era of risk assessment that largely does without animal testing."

The authors from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment suggest that the legal requirements for testing should be changed: "It is necessary to become more flexible in order to be able to exploit the potential of the procedures for a "next generation risk assessment," according to the Institute's memo from August 17, 2023.

More information:
Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung, Mitteilung 037/23 vom 17.08.23 (German). https://www.bfr.bund.de/de/start.html

Paper im Journal Environment International:
Sebastian Schmeisser, Andrea Miccoli, Martin von Bergen, Elisabet Berggren, Albert Braeuning, Wibke Busch, Christian Desaintes, Anne Gourmelon, Roland Grafström, Joshua Harrill, Thomas Hartung, Matthias Herzler, George E.N. Kass, Nicole Kleinstreuer, Marcel Leist, Mirjam Luijten, Philip Marx-Stoelting, Oliver Poetz, Bennard van Ravenzwaay, Rob Roggeband, Vera Rogiers, Adrian Roth, Pascal Sanders, Russell S. Thomas, Anne Marie Vinggaard, Mathieu Vinken, Bob van de Water, Andreas Luch, Tewes Tralau (2023). New approach methodologies in human regulatory toxicology – Not if, but how and when! Environment International 178, 2023, 108082, ISSN 0160-4120, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.108082.