Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships (QSAR) in Toxicity Testing

QSARs are valuable in silico tools that are used in combination with other NATs to answer regulatory questions about the likely toxicity of a new chemical. Many different QSAR systems exist, each with different strengths and weaknesses. To use QSARs to maximum effect, you need to understand the chemical being studied and the endpoints being investigated so that you can interpret results from different models based on each model's strengths, scope, applicability and predictive performance. In many situations, QSARs are not an answer in themselves, but rather an important facet of the argument for a chemical's toxicity profile.