ECHA: Advancing Quality and Compliance in Toxicological Studies – Bridging laboratory and regulatory practice

This two‑days event brings together study directors, laboratory scientists and ECHA regulatory experts to exchange experience on common challenges in conducting and assessing toxicological studies. Building on the 2024 discussions, the 2026 edition expands the scope to include both in vivo and in vitro approaches, in line with ECHA’s commitment to reducing vertebrate animal testing and improving study quality.

Why participate?

• Gain insight into recurring issues identified during REACH dossier evaluation that may affect regulatory acceptance of studies
• Discuss practical challenges Contract Research Organisations face when performing frequently requested REACH studies
• Engage in open dialogue with ECHA’s scientific assessors on study design, interpretation and compliance

Preliminary topics include:

• Ensuring adequate applicability domain coverage for in vitro skin sensitisation.
• How to conduct and report thyroid hormone measurements and thyroid histopathology in repeated dose toxicity studies.
• Historical control data collection practices and analysis.
• Ensuring adequate applicability domain coverage for in vitro skin sensitisation methods, especially for substances with challenging physico-chemical properties.
• Practical challenges and capacity for nanomaterial testing from physicochemical characterisation (solubility/dissolution rate and particle size distribution) to toxicological assessment (in vitro and in vivo).
• Designing (or conducting) in vitro toxicokinetics assays for industrial chemicals: key challenges and practical considerations.
• Integrating ‘omics’ in the regulatory toxicity studies.
• Study notifications under the Common data platform on chemicals (CDPC).

Participants are encouraged to propose agenda topics and contribute presentations, ensuring broad and practical discussions driven by Contract Research Organisations experience.

Who should attend?

Representatives of Contract Research Organisations (inside and outside the EU) directly involved in setting up and conducting toxicology studies for regulatory purposes, more explicitly study directors and laboratory staff responsible for study conduct.

Practical information

• Face‑to‑face event only (no online participation or recording)
• Free of charge; participants are expected to cover their own travel and accommodation
• Lunch and refreshments provided
• Maximum two participants per organisation (attendance may be prioritised if capacity is exceeded)

Registration

• Register by 15 August 2026
• Registration form External link.