Malaysia joins OECD agreement on mutual acceptance of chemical safety data | WPN World People News

Malaysia has joined the OECD system for the Mutual Acceptance of Data (MAD) in the Assessment of Chemicals, ensuring that its non-clinical safety data related to the protection of human health and the environment will be accepted by all 40 countries adhering to MAD.

The MAD system – a multilateral agreement - allows participating countries to share the results of various non-clinical safety tests done on chemicals and chemical products, such as industrial chemicals and pesticides. This collaboration saves governments and chemical producers around €150 million annually.

“Governments participating in the MAD system have confidence that chemical safety test data generated in other countries is of high quality and can be used for regulatory assessments. This reduces duplicative testing, saves laboratory costs, promotes work-sharing by countries assessing the same data and removes a potential non-tariff trade barrier,” said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría. “Malaysia’s participation in this system highlights the mutual benefit of the partnership between OECD and major emerging economies.”

The first step towards participation in the MAD system is provisional adherence. During this time, non-members work with OECD countries to make their compliance monitoring programme on Good Laboratory Practice acceptable to all members. Provisional adherence to the OECD system means that the non-member must accept data from OECD and adhering countries generated under MAD conditions.

Participation in the MAD system requires that testing be carried out using OECD standards for test methods (OECD Test Guidelines) and data quality (OECD Principles of Good Laboratory Practice). Governments verify laboratory compliance using OECD procedures. At present, all 34 OECD countries as well as Argentina, Brazil, India, Malaysia, Singapore and South Africa adhere to the system. Thailand is currently a provisional adherent to it.

Source: OECD