"Experimental Starting Date" is a definition used by which organization to mean what?

• A. OECD; first date that any study-specific data is collected
• B. FDA; the date the study protocol is approved
• C. EPA; the first day of data analysis
• D. NIH; the date the animal dosing begins

Answer: (A)

In GLP and regulatory study practice, the timing of when a study truly begins is tied to when data collection starts. OECD defines the Experimental Starting Date as the first date on which any study-specific data are actually collected, marking the start of the experimental phase of the study. This is important because it sets the timeline for data generation, duration, and QA/audit considerations. It is not about protocol approval, the start of dosing, or when data analysis begins, which are different milestones used by other entities. So, the organization that uses this exact definition is OECD, and it refers to the moment the first study-specific data are collected.