At present, animal tests are the only way of determining whether a particular chemical can cause an allergic reaction.
Researchers working on the Sens-it-iv project are developing alternative methods that can reliably predict the allergy risk of chemicals – without animal testing.
There is danger lurking everywhere – in textiles, cosmetics, medicines, detergents, foodstuffs, toys, and even at work. Potentially allergenic substances surround us all the time. The dramatic increase in allergy-related diseases makes it increasingly important to take preventive action. Two years ago, the EU issued a new directive requiring all chemicals to be reassessed with respect to toxic risk. One very important question is “Which substances can lead to sensitization and from there to the development of allergies?”