Scientific and Regulatory Policy Committee

What Is the Scientific and Regulatory Policy Committee and What Does It Do?

The Scientific and Regulatory Policy Committee (SRPC) of the STP is tasked with providing scientific leadership on common or emerging global toxicologic pathology issues within the drug, chemical, and medical device industries in order to promote appropriate industry practices and good regulatory policies. Annual Symposium Town Hall topics and publications in Toxicologic Pathology, including recommendations for Best Practices, educational webinars, and responses to draft regulatory documents, are some of the common products of SRPC efforts.
The SRPC is composed of both SRPC members and organizational liaisons. The liaisons provide connections to the STP Executive Committee (EC), Toxicologic Pathology journal of the STP, and various other groups including the ACVP, US FDA, and the ESTP. New initiatives brought to the attention of the SRPC are discussed to determine if the topic should be deferred to a more appropriate committee, such as Toxicologic Pathology Forum which handles opinion pieces, or if additional SRPC action is needed, through either direct actions of the SRPC or through the formation of a formal Working Group Charter, both of which involve EC input and approval.

SRPC Working Groups include a lead, an SRPC Working Group liaison, and a mixture of other SRPC members and individuals from the general STP Membership. Additionally, there may be collaboration with or endorsement from other organizations such as the ASVCP, ACVP, BSTP, ESTP, JSTP, and ACT. When a ‘Points to Consider’ manuscript is produced, it is reviewed through the SRPC, the EC and other participating organizations prior to publication. A ‘Best Practices’ Manuscript would additionally include a process for full STP membership for review and comment prior to publication. SRPC members are selected with the intent of keeping a balance in the diversity of the membership (i.e., pharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnical, contract lab, academia, and government), limiting duplications in affiliations, and considering international colleagues where appropriate.

We welcome your ideas for new initiatives or any other comments that might facilitate our purpose of promoting sound and effective scientific and regulatory policy. Contact STP Headquarters.

There are currently 10 SRPC Working Groups:

• Points to Consider: Pathologist’s Approach to Carcinogenicity Studies
• Points to Consider: Clinical Pathology of Medical Device Studies
• Points to Consider: Veterinary Drug Evaluation
• Points to Consider: Reduction in Terminal NHPs 
• Points To Consider: Approaches in the Assessment and Reporting of Ocular Histopathology Findings in Toxicity Studies
• Points to Consider: Considerations and Approach to Determination of Adversity for the Male Reproductive System in Nonclinical General Toxicity Studies
• Points to Consider: Uses, Abuses and Implementation of Virtual Control Groups
• Points to Consider: Comparative Thyroid Assay in Rats: Considerations Regarding the Usage, Conduct, Endpoint Evaluation, and Interpretation
• Points to Consider: Recording Systemic Findings Present in Multiple Tissues
• Approach to Reporting IHC