Relationship Between the Primary Dermal Irritation Index and Ocular Irritation

Abstract

AbstractThe hypothesis that a chemical or product found to be irritating to animal skin need not be tested in the Draize Eye Irritancy Test but simply assumed to be eye irritant is reviewed. A comparison of the Primary Irritation Index (PII) and the ocular irritation scores of chemicals reported in the literature and until now unpublished data on petrochemicals, neat product ingredients, household and cosmetic products indicates that this hypothesis is often invalid. The indiscriminate use of such an hypothesis can lead to both the loss of consumer products and increased consumer cost due to the potential for liability.