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, saving governments and chemical producers around €150 million annually.

“By sharing and trusting each other’s chemical safety test data, governments are saving laboratory costs and removing a potential non-tariff trade barrier,” said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría. “Argentina’s participation in the MAD agreement is yet another indicator of the mutual benefit of the partnership between OECD and major emerging economies.”

At the moment, the scope of Argentina’s compliance monitoring programme is limited to non-clinical environment and health safety data developed in Argentina on pesticides, biocides and industrial chemicals. Argentina may add additional products to be covered by MAD in the future.

The first step towards participation in the MAD system is provisional adherence, during which time non-members work with OECD countries to make their GLP compliance monitoring programme 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 - GLP). Governments verify laboratory compliance using OECD procedures. At present, all 34 OECD countries as well as Argentina, Brazil, India, South Africa and Singapore adhere to the system. Provisional adherents to the MAD system are currently Malaysia and Thailand.

The OECD Chemicals Programme: 2011 is the 40th anniversary of work on chemical safety at OECD. Since its establishment in 1971 the work has grown into the Environment, Health and Safety programme (EHS), now including chemicals, pesticides and biotechnology.