An overlooked aspect of organophosphorus compound neurotoxicity
Blog articles
Organophosphorus compounds (OPs) are widespread in both the natural and industrial worlds. Being major components of DNA and cell membranes, their diverse chemical properties are fundamental for the biology of life. But they also find uses in a range of anthropogenic applications, for example, as flame retardants, plasticisers, antioxidants and, perhaps most famously, as pesticides.
Save yourself the pain of last-minute reformulation with early ingredient screening
Blog articles
Developing a new consumer product? Maybe you’ve come up with the hottest new gadget or e-liquid flavour and are eager to get the product out to market as soon as possible. Prior to mass production, a safety evaluation is key. A preliminary screening assessment of the component ingredients during early development could save you a lot of time and money further down the line.
Exploring Alternative Methods to Animal Toxicity Testing
Blog articles
It has been promised for a heck of a long time, but are we now close to an era when a chemical’s toxic potential can be comprehensively defined without exploiting fellow sentient creatures. As well as this obvious ethical gain, alternative test methods to animal testing have the equally attractive potential to reduce the times and costs associated with safety testing.
An in vitro test battery for developmental neurotoxicity
Blog articles
If you were to look for a nice, easy place to develop an in vitro testing strategy, Developmental Neurotoxicity (DNT) probably wouldn’t be at the top of your list...click to read more about this complex challenge.
Extractables and leachables: What the E&L are they?!
Blog articles
When we are unfortunate enough to have to take a drug or to be in contact with some sort of medical device, we are going to be exposed to more than maybe we bargained for...click to read about how we can help.
Pet food safety: How much do you know about what you feed your pets?
Blog articles
As they open the tin, harassed by their “best friend” or feline lodger, many pet owners must have at some time wondered about the quality of the product that they are adding to the food bowl. Click to read more about our work in pet food safety.
The dawn of a new age in medical device risk assessments
Blog articles
After a development process that stretches back to the beginning of 2018, ISO has published the updated version of the International Standard ISO 10993-17. It has been a mammoth effort, involving over 100 scientists from 20 different countries (including bibra Senior Toxicologist, Chris Waine), and one that the toxicological and medical device worlds have been waiting for with bated breath.
CAATs out the bag: Unexpected Animal Use Figures Under REACH Testing
Blog articles
The European Union’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation, which came into force in 2008, emphasised that “before (proposing) additional animal testing, use of all other options should be considered. It is important to emphasise that testing on vertebrate animals must only be conducted or proposed as a last resort”.
The safety of multi-component products
Blog articles
Who can honestly say that they haven’t, now and then, bitten into a tasty apple or pear only to discover they’ve accidentally munched on a fruit label. You and I will probably (if not distracted) remove and discard said offending item. But young children and compromised adults might ingest a label on occasion. Click to read more about this dilemma.
Medical device submissions – protecting supplier confidentiality
Blog articles
We recently described – using a fruit label as an example – how an independent consultancy such as bibra could act as a third-party broker, providing a manufacturer with a safety evaluation of a multicomponent product while also protecting suppliers’ confidentiality over chemical composition. Here, we describe another example, in this case relating to a medical device submission to a Regulator or Notified Body.