With the Zika concerns, we are getting a lot of requests for Arm-in-a-Cage testing for mosquito repellents. Mosquito bite tests for repellents are highly regulated test methods since 2006. Yes, there are plenty of videos showing mosquitoes biting, and being repelled from treatments on the arm. But such tests are not necessarily legal without a series of IRB and HSRB approvals which can take well over a year and cost $100,000-$250,000.
If your formula is not exempt from registration by EPA, then the only option MAY be the full range of IRB and HSRB approvals along with the extended time period and large budget. However, we recommend you start with one of our protocols that do not expose humans directly to your formula or to potential disease from mosquito bites. Our human surrogate methods can provide a faster and more cost-effective test option for formulas requiring registration.
If your formula is exempt from registration under 25b regulations then our non-human test methods typically suits all your regulatory needs. But even for exempt formulas, the use of human exposure ‘arm-in-a-cage’ tests are still a questionable issue under EPA’s jurisdiction.
Let us know what you testing needs are and we can help you with a quote and time frame.
