Abstract

More and better co-ordinated efforts, includingresearch, are still needed to enhance the replacement,reduction and refinement of animal testing in meetingregulatory requirements. To boost this coordinated effort,the European Partnership for Alternative Approaches toAnimal Testing (EPAA) was launched in 2005. The EPAA is anunprecedented collaboration between the EuropeanCommission and major companies from seven industrysectors. The partners are committed to pooling knowledge,research and resources to accelerate the development,validation and acceptance of alternative approaches. Sofruitful has the collaboration proved that the decision hasbeen taken to extend the life of the EPAA beyond the fiveyearperiod initially foreseen for it.