Federal agency action

With respect to each Federal agency carrying out a program that requires or recommends acute or chronic toxicological testing, such agency shall, not later than 180 days after receiving an ICCVAM test recommendation, identify and forward to the ICCVAM any relevant test method specified in a regulation or industry-wide guideline which specifically, or in practice requires, recommends, or encourages the use of an animal acute or chronic toxicological test method for which the ICCVAM test recommendation may be added or substituted. Each Federal agency carrying out a program described in subsection (a) shall promote and encourage the development and use of alternatives to animal test methods (including batteries of tests and test screens), where appropriate, for the purpose of complying with Federal statutes, regulations, guidelines, or recommendations (in each instance, and for each chemical class) if such test methods are found to be effective for generating data, in an amount and of a scientific value that is at least equivalent to the data generated from existing tests, for hazard identification, dose-response assessment, or risk assessment purposes. Each Federal agency carrying out a program described in subsection (a) shall ensure that any new or revised acute or chronic toxicity test method, including animal test methods and alternatives, is determined to be valid for its proposed use prior to requiring, recommending, or encouraging the application of such test method. Not later than 180 days after receipt of an ICCVAM test recommendation, a Federal agency carrying out a program described in subsection (a) shall review such recommendation and notify the ICCVAM in writing of its findings. Each Federal agency carrying out a program described in subsection (a), or its specific regulatory unit or units, shall adopt the ICCVAM test recommendation unless such Federal agency determines that—