NTP Non-Cancer Evaluation Criteria
The National Toxicology Program (NTP) is working to bring the same rigorous standards it uses for classifying the outcomes of its cancer studies to its non-cancer studies.
The NTP set out to develop new criteria to classify the outcomes from its non-cancer studies, including reproductive, developmental and immunotoxicity studies. These new criteria build off the classification system established in 1983 by the NTP to evaluate its cancer studies.
NTP will use five categories or "levels of evidence" to describe its non-cancer study findings: clear evidence, some evidence, equivocal evidence, no evidence and inadequate study.
- The NTP set out to develop new criteria to classify
the outcomes from its non-cancer studies, including
reproductive, developmental and immunotoxicity
studies. These new criteria build off the classification system
established in 1983 by the NTP to evaluate its cancer studies.
- In June 2008, the NTP established two working groups of the NTP Board of Scientific Counselors to provide input and help refine draft criteria developed by the NTP for evaluating its
reproductive, developmental and immunotoxicity studies.
- In November 2008, the NTP Board of Scientific Counselors voted to accept and provide additional comments on the working group reports.
- In December 2008, the NTP Executive Committee accepted the working group reports and provided additional
comments on the criteria.
- In February 2009, the NTP finalized the levels of evidence statements for the three sets of criteria incorporating
recommendations from the Board and the
Executive Committee.
- In March 2009, the NTP presents the evaluation criteria to attendees at the Society for Toxicology (SOT) 48th Annual Meeting and ToxExpo™ in Baltimore, MD.
- The NTP expects to begin applying the immunotoxicology criteria to studies for peer review by the end of 2009. The first reproductive and developmental studies featuring the new criteria could appear as early as 2010.
For more information contact:
Paul M. Foster, Ph.D.
Discipline Leader for Reproduction and Development
Chief, Toxicology Branch
National Toxicology Program, NIH/NIEHS
P.O. Box 12233 MD K2-12, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
Phone: (919) 541-2513
Email: foster2@niehs.nih.gov
Dori Germolec, Ph.D.
Discipline Leader for Immunology
Toxicology Branch
National Toxicology Program, NIH/NIEHS
P.O. Box 12233 MD K2-12, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
Phone: (919) 541-3230
Email: germolec@niehs.nih.gov
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