News & InsightsNewsletterLegislation Hub

Foresight

Foresight
AboutContactLog in
Book a Demo
Foresight logo
All News & Insights

ECHA Investigates Alternative Method to Replace Fish Toxicity Testing in Chemical Safety Assessments

General
19
November 2024
•
500
Dr Steven Brennan
ECHA explores Fish Embryo Toxicity test as a humane alternative to fish toxicity testing for chemicals.
Fish embryo
Quick prompts

AI Generated

Get to the point quicker with prompts - a smarter way to get the information you need from our articles.

Summarise this article

AI Assistant

This feature and much more is available on our platform. If you would like early access, please leave your email and we'll get in touch.

We'll be in touch when the Assistant is ready.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Mountains

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has launched a study with the Fraunhofer Institute to evaluate a potential alternative to fish-based toxicity testing for chemicals. Announced on 13 November 2024, the study will investigate whether the Fish Embryo Toxicity (FET) test, enhanced with transcriptomics, can serve as a viable substitute for traditional fish toxicity testing in Europe’s regulatory framework.

FET Initiative

The ECHA initiative is part of a growing movement in Europe to reduce reliance on animal testing for environmental and health assessments. With political and social momentum pushing for animal-free testing, the ECHA is exploring "new approach methodologies" (NAMs) as replacements for conventional animal tests, which are currently necessary to determine chemical safety.

The Fish Embryo Toxicity test, a commonly accepted method for acute toxicity testing, may be enhanced to cover chronic toxicity as well by incorporating transcriptomics—a technique that detects changes in gene expression that can signal toxic effects. According to the ECHA, this method could be effective in identifying toxicological pathways relevant to endocrine disruption, a significant environmental health concern.

ECHA and Fraunhofer Institute’s Role in Advancing Non-Animal Testing

Sylvia Escher from the Fraunhofer Institute and Tomasz Sobanski from ECHA’s Alternative Methods Team highlighted in a recent interview the project’s focus on using molecular data from fish embryos. This data could potentially reveal chemical effects without using protected life stages of fish, aligning with EU animal welfare regulations, which do not currently consider fish embryos as protected.

This project is expected to contribute to ECHA’s broader goal of achieving an animal-free regulatory system for industrial chemicals through collaborations with stakeholders and advancements in science. With an emphasis on safety, knowledge, and collaboration, the ECHA is pushing forward to meet regulatory demands without animal testing, where possible.

The FET test’s potential to replace traditional fish toxicity testing could mark a significant step in Europe’s shift towards animal-free chemical testing. The ECHA’s commitment to these developments highlights the agency’s role in setting the groundwork for safer, more humane regulatory practices in environmental protection.

Read the source story

Read this article now for free!

You have read 3 articles.
Create a free account
or
Log in
to finish reading this article now.

Subscribe to our weekly digest

Sign up to receive our newsletter every Tuesday and get access to all of our content.

By creating an account, you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
This is some text inside of a div block.

Trusted by professionals at

Dupont
ECHA - European Chemicals Agency
Energizer
Chemours
This is some text inside of a div block.

Get Foresight Today

Stay compliant, reduce risk, and protect your business with our AI-powered chemical policy monitoring—tailored just for you.

Global monitoring of 1,200+ sources
Expert-reviewed, trusted regulatory alerts
Instant risk identification for 350k+ substances

Ready to supercharge your policy monitoring workflow?

We’ll be in touch soon with more details and support to help you get started.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Share with a friend
Copy link

Related Articles

EU parliamentEU Water Resilience Strategy Gains Momentum as MEPs Demand PFAS Phase-Out and Digital Upgrades

May 9, 2025

Chemicals productionEU Chemical Industry Faces Weak Q1 2025 as Energy Costs Undermine Competitiveness

May 9, 2025

EU ParliamentENVI Committee Pushes EU PFAS Ban Forward with Strong Political Backing

May 2, 2025

Foresight regulatory experts
Streamline your chemical compliance
Easy-to-use product compliance management for small and mid-sized manufacturers — mitigate risk and protect market access.
Get started
Subscribe to Foresight's newsletter
Stay ahead with the latest news & insights
Join 1,000s of compliance professionals getting the latest insights right to their inbox for free, every Tuesday.
100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe any time.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Stay ahead with the latest news & insights
Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter covering news, events, and expert insights.

Related articles

EU parliament

EU Water Resilience Strategy Gains Momentum as MEPs Demand PFAS Phase-Out and Digital Upgrades

MEPs back the EU Water Resilience Strategy, calling for PFAS phase-out, digital solutions, and funding—key compliance watchpoints for industry.

9

May 2025

General
Chemicals production

EU Chemical Industry Faces Weak Q1 2025 as Energy Costs Undermine Competitiveness

EU chemical industry struggles in Q1 2025 as energy costs and weak demand hinder growth. Find out what this means for your value chain.

9

May 2025

General
UK parliament

UK Government Unveils Major Regulatory Reform to Boost Growth

The UK Government is cutting business compliance costs by 25% through regulatory reforms in manufacturing, chemicals, and infrastructure.

2

May 2025

General
Foresight
Providing critical insights, analysis, and guidance to help businesses anticipate changes, make informed decisions, and stay ahead.
News & Insights
Newsletter
Legislation Hub
Coverage
Contact
About
© 2025 Foresight. All rights reserved.
SitemapTerms of servicePrivacy policyCookie policy