426 • Alternatives to Animal Use in Research, Testing, and Education 
creases the incidence of abnormal; invasive; or un- 
controlled cell growth in a population. Carcinogens 
fall into three classes: chemicals, viruses, and ioniz- 
ing radiation. A variety of screening assays have been 
developed to detect chemical carcinogens, including 
the Salmonella -mediated mutagenesis assay (Ames 
test), the sister chromatid exchange assay, and tradi- 
tional laboratory animal toxicity tests. 
Cell Culture: Growth in the laboratory of cells isolated 
from multicellular organisms. Each culture is usually 
of one type. Cell culture may provide a promising 
alternative to animal experimentation, for example 
in the testing of mutagenicity, and may also become 
a useful adjunct in repeated-dose toxicity testing. 
Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT): 
Established by the Johns Hopkins University in 1981 
to search for alternatives to animal use, CAAT puts 
out publications and supports intramural and extra- 
mural research. The Center is sponsored by the CTFA 
and corporate donors as well as consumer and in- 
dustrial groups. 
Chick Embryo Chorioallantoic Membrane Assay: 
A test used to determine the irritancy of a substance. 
A test sample is placed on the chorioallantoic mem- 
brane formed on top of a chick embryo. The mem- 
brane is then evaluated for response to the test sub- 
stance and the embryo is discarded. This test may 
be a promising alternative to the Draize Test. 
Chronic Toxicity Test: Repeated-dose toxicity test 
with exposure to a test substance lasting at least 1 
year, or the lifetime of the test species. 
Comprehensive Environment Response, Com- 
pensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA): Known 
as " Superfund,” CERCLA authorizes the Federal Gov- 
ernment to clean up or otherwise respond to the re- 
lease of hazardous wastes or other pollutants that 
endanger public welfare. 
Crossover Test: A useful laboratory or clinical method 
whereby an animal serves as its own control by first 
receiving a drug or a placebo and then receiving the 
reverse. This kind of test has potential applications 
in anesthesiology, endocrinology, radiology, and vari- 
ous other fields. 
Computer Simulation: The use of specially devised 
computer programs to simulate cells, tissues, fluids, 
organs, and organ systems for research purposes; to 
develop mathematical models and algorithims for use 
in toxicity testing; and to simulate experiments tradi- 
tionally done with animals, for educational purposes. 
Data Sources: Can provide an alternative to animal 
testing by disseminating information generated from 
prior use of animals. The TDB and RTECS are two 
such sources, as was the LADB. 
Descriptive Toxicology: A branch of toxicology deal- 
ing with phenomena above the molecular level. De- 
scriptive toxicology relies heavily on the techniques 
of pathology, statistics, and pharmacology to dem- 
onstrate the relationship between cause and effect— 
e.g., that certain substances cause liver cancer in cer- 
tain species within a certain time. It is most often 
used in regulatory schemes requiring testing. 
Distress: Usually the product of pain, anxiety, or fear. 
However, distress can also occur in the absence of 
pain. For example, an animal struggling in a restraint 
device may be free from pain, but may be in distress. 
Distress can be eased with tranquilizers. 
Draize Eye Irritancy Test: A test that involves plac- 
ing a single dose of a test substance into one eye of 
four to six rabbits (the other eye remains untreated) 
and observing its irritating effects. A promising alter- 
native to this test is the chick embryo chorioallan- 
toic membrane assay. 
Education: The aspect of education dealt with in this 
assessment is the use of animals and alternatives in 
the teaching of life sciences to secondary school stu- 
dents, university students, health professionals and 
preprofessionals, and research scientists. 
Federal Environmental Acts: A number of these 
have been passed to protect human health and the 
environment from the adverse effects of toxic sub- 
stances, and to regulate the release of such sub- 
stances into the environment. Among these acts are 
FIFRA, TSCA, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, 
RCRA, CERCLA, and the Consumer Product Safety 
Act. Animal testing provides much of the data needed 
for the enforcement of these acts. 
Federal Government Use of Animals for Research: 
Six Cabinet departments and four Federal agencies 
conduct intramural research and testing involving 
animals. They are: USDA, Department of Commerce, 
DHHS , DOD , Department of the Interior , DOT , CPSC , 
EPA, NASA, and the VA. 
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide 
Act (FIFRA): Designed to protect the human envi- 
ronment from the adverse effects of pesticides and 
their use, FIFRA regulates various aspects of pesti- 
cide use by means of registration, labeling, and the 
setting of maximum residue levels. It also established 
procedures for safe application, storage, and disposal 
of pesticides. 
Good Laboratory Practices (GLP): Rules adopted by 
FDA in 1978 requiring that all regulated parties con- 
ducting nonclinical laboratory studies keep records 
and permit audits of such studies. The GLP rules 
also contain specific provisions for animal housing, 
feeding, and care. In 1983, EPA issued similar GLP 
