Taiwan's Ministry of Environment (MOENV) released a new Guidance on Alternatives to Skin Sensitisation on May 14, 2026, alongside refreshed versions of its existing Guidance on Alternatives to Dermal Irritation and Corrosion and Guidance on Alternatives to Eye Irritation. Together, the three documents provide chemical registrants with updated technical references to meet the standard registration requirements under the New and Existing Chemical Registration Regulation without resorting to animal testing.
The skin sensitization guidance closes a gap left in 2024, when MOENV first issued alternative-method guidance only for skin and eye irritation. Officials said the step is now possible because standardized non-animal tests for sensitization have matured, with well-understood toxicological mechanisms and broad acceptance among international regulators. To keep Taiwan aligned overseas, MOENV reviewed the current OECD test guidelines and tiered-testing strategies, which is also why the two older guidances were updated at the same time.
