Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Toxicology Program, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.

As part of its mission, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) provides information to health regulatory and research agencies, the scientific and medical communities, and the public. A key part of the NTP’s strategy has been the electronic distribution of information via its website.

The NTP website has undergone major upgrades in the presentation, organization and content in order to offer much more information about the Program and the studies it conducts. The site is divided into four main sections:

Testing Information * Public Health * About the NTP * Study Results & Research Projects.

Under “Testing Information” the first link is to a search of the testing status of the agents nominated for study by the Program. Basic information is provided about each test agent and the status of the various studies underway or proposed. The second link takes the user to a description of the types of studies the NTP routinely conducts. The final link provides a way to nominate an agent for testing.

The second major area is “Public Health.” Here is provided information about how Federal Regulatory Agencies use the results of the NTP studies to help protect human health (Public Health Impact). Along these same lines one of the primary responsibilities of the Program is to produce the “Report on Carcinogens.” This is an informational scientific and public health document first ordered by Congress in 1978 that identifies and discusses agents, substances, mixtures, or exposure circumstances that may pose a hazard to human health by virtue of their carcinogenicity.

The Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction was established to serve as an environmental health resource to the public and to regulatory and health agencies. This Center provides scientifically-based, uniform assessments of the potential for adverse effects on reproduction and development caused by agents to which humans may be exposed.

The National Toxicology Program Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods was created to evaluate new and improved test methods applicable to the needs of U.S. Federal agencies and to develop a process to achieve regulatory acceptance of alternative test methods.

Within “About the NTP” area are links to the organization and history of the Program, its future directions, the budget, advisory boards & committees and partnerships with Federal, International and other health-related groups.

The most expanded area on the NTP website is “Study Results & Research Projects.” This area contains access to a wealth of study data, to summaries and associations of the results of NTP studies, to the work of two new NTP Centers and to new areas of research. The first link leads to NTP’s toxicity study reports, the documents most requested by the public, industry and government health agencies.

The newest source for information is the Study Data Searches. The “Search for all Study Data” option provides ways of searching for all the available study data either by individual study or across studies of the same type. The summaries and individual animal data can either be viewed on the web or downloaded to the desktop. The “Search Bioassay Pathology” will retrieve pathology data collected on studies from 1971 starting with the NCI’s Bioassay Program and continuing with the NTP after 1978. The Study Data Searches section also has links to NTP’s “Historical Controls,” the “Pathology Code Tables,” and to Lesions in Rodents including Genetically altered mice.

Pathology Tables for Peer Review was developed in response to public requests to have NTP provide study data as soon as possible for reports being prepared for NTP’s Board of Scientific Counselors peer review. Here is provided the list of test agents for the upcoming peer review with links to the pathology data and body weight and survival curves.

The Special Summaries and Associations of Study Results section was based on repeated requests for the same information. Most frequently requested is the Organ Sites associated with neoplasia in the NTP studies. Another frequent request is to be able to search for Target Sites in 2-year Studies. The Carcinogenicity/Mutagenesis Comparison was created for a way of choosing agents with combinations of these effects.

Under this area, information is also presented on two new Centers for Phototoxicology and Rodent Genetics.

The last link is to New Areas of Research. The NTP has a broad mandate to provide toxicological characterizations for chemicals and agents of public health concern. This has resulted in a diverse research program, but with emphasis on synthetic industrial chemicals, pesticides, various pharmaceuticals, metals, and food additives. The NTP continues to also explore new areas of research. In general, these initiatives are broad-based and include various health-related end points.

The NTP website is continually being updated. Comments and suggestions to help us improve this site are welcome and should be sent to Webmaster@niehs.nih.gov