Define Animal Testing

Animal testing is done for many purposes, and the amount of testing and type varies in different countries. In the United States, many industries are forced to do animal testing because of regulations, but those regulations are being changed.

Animal Testing

• Animal testing is the term used for any type of research where animals are used to determine the effect of a drug, surgery, product reaction and other reasons.

Medications

• Animal testing for drugs involve finding out if a drug works, the right dosage, toxicity, lethal dose (how much it takes to kill) and side effects before it is used on humans or in human testing trials.

Common Other Testing

• The cosmetic, pesticide, food additives and safety equipment industries used on animals to determine how safe or effective their products are for people and the environment. Even products intended for pets such as flea control use animals to evaluate it and to find lethal dose. These account for about 10 percent of all animal testing.

Regulations

• U.S. regulations control what has to be done before a product can be tested on humans or sold. The U.S. has a panel that is working on reducing animal testing but has not been as productive as Europe. In 10 years, the U.S. panel has implemented only four of 185 proposed changes. Europe has approved 34 and is awaiting approval of another 170.

Changes

• In June 2009, the U.S. National Research Council recommended a change away from using animals for toxicity testing as cell-based methods might work better and spare animals. The John Hopkins Center for Alternative Animal Testing and other agencies are working on methods to decrease animal testing.