Altbib

Altbib is a bibliographic database developed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). The database is designed to assist in identifying methods and procedures helpful in supporting the development, testing, application, and validation of alternatives to animal testing. Altbib aims to promote the use of alternative methods in scientific research, thereby reducing, refining, or replacing the use of animals in testing.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Altbib is a free resource that provides access to a vast collection of bibliographic citations relevant to the development and application of alternatives to animal testing. The database is a collaborative effort between the NLM and the NIEHS, two prominent institutions in the field of biomedical research and environmental health sciences.

The database includes citations from published articles, books, book chapters, and technical reports. The citations are selected from the biomedical literature indexed by the NLM's PubMed database. The selection is based on a set of keywords related to alternative testing methods, which are developed and maintained by experts in the field.

Features[edit | edit source]

Altbib offers several features to facilitate the search and retrieval of relevant information. Users can search the database using keywords, author names, or specific citation details. The search results can be refined by applying various filters, such as publication date, language, or publication type.

The database also provides links to the full text of the cited documents, when available. This feature allows users to access the original source of information directly from the search results.

Applications[edit | edit source]

Altbib is primarily used by researchers, educators, and policy makers involved in the development, application, and validation of alternative testing methods. The database serves as a valuable tool for identifying relevant literature, tracking the progress in the field, and informing decision-making processes.