[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72609-72610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27692]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of 
Alternative Methods Communities of Practice Webinar on New Approach 
Methodologies To Assess (Developmental) Neurotoxicity; Notice of Public 
Webinar; Registration Information

AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of 
Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) announces a public webinar ``New Approach 
Methodologies to Assess (Developmental) Neurotoxicity.'' The webinar is 
organized on behalf of ICCVAM by the National Toxicology Program 
Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological 
Methods (NICEATM). Interested persons may participate via the web 
meeting platform. Time will be allotted for questions from the 
audience. Information about the webinar and registration are available 
at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/commprac-2022.

DATES: 
    Webinar: January 25, 2022, 10:00 a.m. to approximately 11:30 a.m. 
EST.
    Registration for Webinar: January 4, 2022, until 11:30 a.m. EST 
January 25, 2022.
    Registration to view the webinar is required.

ADDRESSES: Webinar web page: https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/commprac-2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Nicole Kleinstreuer, Acting 
Director, NICEATM, email: [email protected], telephone: (984) 
287-3150.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: ICCVAM promotes the development and validation of 
toxicity testing methods that protect human health and the environment 
while replacing, reducing, or refining animal use. ICCVAM also provides 
guidance to test method developers and facilitates collaborations that 
promote the development of new test methods. To address these goals, 
ICCVAM will hold a Communities of Practice webinar on ``New Approach 
Methodologies to Assess (Developmental) Neurotoxicity.''
    The nervous system has unique characteristics and can have 
different sensitivity to toxic substances compared to other organ 
systems. Effects of chemicals on the nervous system can be affected by 
concurrent exposures to other substances. During early life stages, 
exposure to neuroactive drugs and environmental toxins can interact 
and/or interfere with developmental processes of the brain, which can 
in turn result in structural and/or functional alterations. Traditional 
(developmental) neurotoxicity tests use mammals, but the high cost and 
low throughput of these tests make them impractical to use for all 
chemicals of potential concern. In addition, it is challenging to 
correlate the interpretation of animal data to complex human 
neurological effects. Therefore, interest is increasing in exploring 
human cell-based assays, computational systems, and other alternatives 
to traditional animal tests that can be used to predict chemical 
effects on the developing and adult nervous system.
    ``New approach methodologies'' (NAMs) refers to any non-animal 
technology or approach, or combination of these, that can be used to 
provide information on chemical hazard and risk assessment. This 
webinar will discuss NAMs that are being considered or developed for 
assessing potential effects of chemicals on the nervous system. Key 
insights and ongoing activities will be described in two presentations 
featuring speakers from U.S. federal research and regulatory agencies. 
The preliminary agenda and additional information about presentations 
will be posted at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/commprac-2022 as 
available.
    Webinar and Registration: This webinar is open to the public with 
time scheduled for questions by participants following each 
presentation. Registration for the webinar is required and will be open 
from January 4, 2022, through 11:30 a.m. EST on January 25, 2022. 
Registration is available at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/commprac-2022. Interested individuals are encouraged to visit this web page to 
stay abreast of the most current webinar information. Registrants will 
receive instructions on how to access and participate in the webinar in 
the email confirming their registration.
    Background Information on ICCVAM and NICEATM: ICCVAM is an 
interagency committee composed of representatives from 17 federal 
regulatory and research agencies that require, use, generate, or 
disseminate

[[Page 72610]]

toxicological and safety testing information. ICCVAM conducts technical 
evaluations of new, revised, and alternative safety testing methods and 
integrated testing strategies with regulatory applicability. ICCVAM 
also promotes the scientific validation and regulatory acceptance of 
testing methods that more accurately assess the safety and hazards of 
chemicals and products and replace, reduce, or refine animal use.
    The ICCVAM Authorization Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 285l-3) establishes 
ICCVAM as a permanent interagency committee of the National Institute 
of Environmental Health Sciences and provides the authority for ICCVAM 
involvement in activities relevant to the development of alternative 
test methods. Additional information about ICCVAM can be found at 
https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/iccvam.
    NICEATM administers ICCVAM, provides support for ICCVAM-related 
activities, and conducts and publishes analyses and evaluations of data 
from new, revised, and alternative testing approaches. NICEATM and 
ICCVAM work collaboratively to evaluate new and improved testing 
approaches applicable to the needs of U.S. federal agencies. NICEATM 
and ICCVAM welcome the public nomination of new, revised, and 
alternative test methods and strategies for validation studies and 
technical evaluations. Additional information about NICEATM can be 
found at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/niceatm.

    Dated: December 16, 2021.
Brian R. Berridge,
Associate Director, National Toxicology Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-27692 Filed 12-21-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P