Database on Alternative Methods (DB-ALM)

The DataBase service on ALternative Methods, DB-ALM, includes a unique collection of data-sets providing ready-to-use information (not only bibliographic references) presented as evaluated data sheets. Its rationale is to provide an overall picture on the state-of-the-art of alternative methods in use at any state of development, validation or regulatory acceptance for a given topic area.

The DB-ALM covers:

• Method Descriptions: i) Method-Summaries with information on their objective and applications, scientific rationale and endpoints investigated, advantages and potential shortcomings including their status of development, validation and/or regulatory acceptance, and ii) INVITTOX Protocols providing detailed step-by-step descriptions to allow the method to be transferred to laboratories.
• Study Descriptions: Evaluation and formal Validation Studies, 
• Test Results: Substance specific tests are described with their results
• Persons & Institutions active in the field of alternative methods 

DB-ALM includes so far reviews for 5 topic areas and individual protocols for 21 topic areas referring, so far, mainly to non-animal toxicity testing of chemical compounds. Its data sheets, based on extensive literature reviews, are updated on average monthly.

DB-ALM was established in 1996 to achieve a principal objective of ECVAM: namely, setting up, maintain and manage public databases and information systems on alternative approaches and their state of development (*).

The DB-ALM team operates in collaboration with external international experts for the data sheets compilations and has had its own International Advisory Board during the setting-up of the service. The DB-ALM can refer to over 2500 subscribed users from 75 countries.

To complement the DB-ALM, the ECVAM Search Guide will provide search strategies and principles together with user guidance to facilitate the access to information on all 3Rs alternatives in electronic data retrieval systems. This will be most relevant where comprehensive searches are required by ethical committees as part of authorisation processes for animal experiments and where regulatory requirements mandate the application of the 3Rs. It has been published as a handbook and will electronically be made available with access via a new portal being developed on alternative methods in 2012.

* Communication from Commission to European Parliament and Council - SEC(91)1794 and Directive 2010/63/EU Article 48; Annex VII(2)(d).