AltTox.org is a website dedicated to advancing nonanimal methods of toxicity testing, both to better protect the health of humans, animals, and the environment and to reduce the numbers and suffering of animals used in current toxicology assessments. The website is designed to encourage the exchange of technical and policy information on in vitro and in silico methods for all types of toxicity tests. The target audience includes stakeholders in industry, government, academia, nongovernmental organizations and the public.
AltTox consists of three interconnected components:
The AltTox Forums provide an interactive platform for discussion and commentary among stakeholders and are designed to be a driving force for innovation and change. This online community is intended to foster progress internationally in the development, validation, and acceptance of in vitro methods, with the goal of decreasing our reliance on animal-based safety testing. The forums will cover a range of topics within four major categories: Toxicity Endpoints & Tests, Emerging Technologies, Programs & Policies, and Overarching Challenges & Opportunities.
The website's informational section - the TTRC - provides a comprehensive source of information on nonanimal methods of toxicity testing not easily found anywhere else on the Web. It features concisely summarized information for anyone interested in toxicity testing and alternative (nonanimal) test methods. Additionally, all topics in the resource center are cross-linked to the relevant forums.
The invited commentaries on the Way Forward, which are posted in the TTRC, are opinion pieces written by experts in each relevant subfield. These pieces are meant to help chart the course for future developments by advancing opportunities to overcome challenges and barriers to progress. They are also intended to foster discussion among stakeholders in the AltTox Forums.
AltTox users are encouraged to contribute to the website and interact with other users in several ways, including:
- Participating in online discussion forums
- Providing invited expert commentaries
- Suggesting or submitting content, monthly features, data, and graphics
- Providing feedback through the "Website Feedback" survey
Future opportunities for participation will include online workshops and virtual meetings.
AltTox is being developed and supported through a collaboration of the Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) and The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). To encourage objectivity, the website content will be overseen by an editorial board of distinguished subject matter experts. These editors will also serve as the forum moderators.
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