Nordic Workshop on New Approach Methodologies (NAMs)

New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) are an emerging tool in toxicology for performing chemical risk assessment. NAMs reduce animal testing while increasing robustness, throughput and providing a mechanistic understanding of chemical modes-of-actions, in accordance with the Next Generation Risk Assessment principles. The workshop’s objective was to increase risk assessors’ understanding of the data produced by NAMs and their ability to use it for regulatory actions under REACH and CLP. It aimed to highlight the main challenges for NAMs, discuss possible advancements in using NAMs, and increase knowledge and competence within the relevant Nordic authorities. It also served to facilitate discussions about the obstacles to implementing NAMs in regulatory processes, and to identify strategies (including omics approaches) for increasing their use in read-across and grouping processes.