Alternatives to Animal Testing

It is a false assumption of many consumers that non-pharmeceutical companies, such as manufacturers of cosmetics, are required to test their products on animals. It is also not true that products not tested on animals are unsafe. Hundreds of companies throughout the nation have stopped testing on animals altogether. Cosmetic companies such as these may use alternative methods for testing, or they may simply use chemicals in their products of which the toxicity is already known. A list of animal-friendly cosmetic companies can be obtained from this site.

There are many reliable methods for testing product toxicity without the use of animals. Most are revolutionary medical technology allowed by the use of cell cultures and new information on proteins. These methods are faster, more efficient, and more reliable than animal testing. They also decrease the amount of cruel testing, such as LD50, that is needed in the cosmetic or household product industry. Here are some examples of animal testing alternatives:

Eyetex
Eyetex uses a vegetable protein to mimic reactions of the cornea to a substance. This is an effective eye irritancy test that can replace the Draize eye irritancy test.

Testskin
Human skin grown in a sterile plastic bag is used to test for potentially harmful reactions.

Ames Test
A test culture is made of Salmonella bacteria and activating enzymes, along with the chemical to be tested. This method is extremely efficient at identifying carcinogens. In testing, it detected 90% of carcinogens, and 88% of non-carcinogens. These numbers are impressively high compared to animal testing.

TOPKAT
TOPKAT is a computer program that mimics living cells. It can model reactions for toxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and teratonogenicity.

Patient Studies
Of course, we cannot forget the many scientific conclusions that have been made throughout the years simply through patient-doctor studies. Surveys like these can produce fascinating, accurate results for large demographs of people. Many discoveries have been made through studies such as these, including the relationship between cigarette smoke and cancer, as well as the benefits of aspirin at preventing heart attacks.

These show only a small sample of the many alternative methods available. They are not obscure scientific ideas, they are used by many of the largest cosmetic companies in the country, such as Revlon and Este Lauder, and even the FDA.

ALTERNATIVES
Quick Facts Usage Disadvantages Alternatives Sources	It is a false assumption of many consumers that non-pharmeceutical companies, such as manufacturers of cosmetics, are required to test their products on animals. It is also not true that products not tested on animals are unsafe. Hundreds of companies throughout the nation have stopped testing on animals altogether. Cosmetic companies such as these may use alternative methods for testing, or they may simply use chemicals in their products of which the toxicity is already known. A list of animal-friendly cosmetic companies can be obtained from this site. There are many reliable methods for testing product toxicity without the use of animals. Most are revolutionary medical technology allowed by the use of cell cultures and new information on proteins. These methods are faster, more efficient, and more reliable than animal testing. They also decrease the amount of cruel testing, such as LD50, that is needed in the cosmetic or household product industry. Here are some examples of animal testing alternatives: Eyetex Eyetex uses a vegetable protein to mimic reactions of the cornea to a substance. This is an effective eye irritancy test that can replace the Draize eye irritancy test. Testskin Human skin grown in a sterile plastic bag is used to test for potentially harmful reactions. Ames Test A test culture is made of Salmonella bacteria and activating enzymes, along with the chemical to be tested. This method is extremely efficient at identifying carcinogens. In testing, it detected 90% of carcinogens, and 88% of non-carcinogens. These numbers are impressively high compared to animal testing. TOPKAT TOPKAT is a computer program that mimics living cells. It can model reactions for toxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and teratonogenicity. Patient Studies Of course, we cannot forget the many scientific conclusions that have been made throughout the years simply through patient-doctor studies. Surveys like these can produce fascinating, accurate results for large demographs of people. Many discoveries have been made through studies such as these, including the relationship between cigarette smoke and cancer, as well as the benefits of aspirin at preventing heart attacks. These show only a small sample of the many alternative methods available. They are not obscure scientific ideas, they are used by many of the largest cosmetic companies in the country, such as Revlon and Este Lauder, and even the FDA.

ALTERNATIVES