(a) In general The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Administrator and acting through the Assistant Secretary for Health, may conduct, and make grants to public and
nonprofit">
nonprofit private entities and enter into contracts with public and private entities for, projects for the development and evaluation of inexpensive and efficient methods
(1) for determining and evaluating the health and environmental effects of chemical substances and mixtures, and their toxicity, persistence, and other characteristics which affect health and the environment, and
(2) which may be used for the development of test data to meet the requirements of rules promulgated under section
2603 of this title. The Administrator shall consider such methods in prescribing under section
2603 of this title standards for the development of test data.
