The makers of Botox have been celebrating — and no, it's not because they found a better way to smooth wrinkles.
The company, Allergan Inc. of Irvine, announced in June that the Food and Drug Administration approved its new method to test Botox's potency. Instead of having to test every batch on live animals, it can now run a test on cells in a lab dish.
It took 10 years for Allergan scientists to perfect the new test. If it's approved in all the countries where Botox is sold, Allergan expects to eliminate the need for at least 95% of its animal testing within three years.
The company, Allergan Inc. of Irvine, announced in June that the Food and Drug Administration approved its new method to test Botox's potency. Instead of having to test every batch on live animals, it can now run a test on cells in a lab dish.
It took 10 years for Allergan scientists to perfect the new test. If it's approved in all the countries where Botox is sold, Allergan expects to eliminate the need for at least 95% of its animal testing within three years.
"Our
hat is off to the company," says Martin Stephens, vice president for
animal research issues at the Humane Society of the United States in
Washington, D.C.
The government says that every new compound people might be exposed to — whether it's the latest wonder drug, lipstick shade, pesticide or food dye — must be tested to make sure it isn't toxic. Usually, this requires animals. Allergan's new test is one of several under development, or already in use, that could change that.
U.S. agencies have already approved alternative tests to replace many experiments on animals' eyes and skin. Scientists are now developing tests for toxins that cause organ damage, birth defects, and other problems. These new tests could make animal toxicity experiments obsolete in the next 10 to 20
The government says that every new compound people might be exposed to — whether it's the latest wonder drug, lipstick shade, pesticide or food dye — must be tested to make sure it isn't toxic. Usually, this requires animals. Allergan's new test is one of several under development, or already in use, that could change that.
U.S. agencies have already approved alternative tests to replace many experiments on animals' eyes and skin. Scientists are now developing tests for toxins that cause organ damage, birth defects, and other problems. These new tests could make animal toxicity experiments obsolete in the next 10 to 20
years,
says David Jacobson-Kram, associate director for pharmacology and
toxicology at the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research in
Silver Spring, Md.
In addition to being more humane, these experiments often promise better results more quickly and cheaply than the classic tests with mice or rabbits.
"Both the science and animal welfare can benefit," Stephens says.In addition to being more humane, these experiments often promise better results more quickly and cheaply than the classic tests with mice or rabbits.
Even scientists who work with animals would prefer not to. According to a 2006 survey by the journal Nature, 78% of biologists would like to eliminate animal experiments (although only 80% of those thought it would be possible).
"None of us take any pleasure in using animals in research," Jacobson-Kram says.
Labs in the United States use nearly 1 million mammals per year, according to 2009 statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However, that number excludes mice and rats — the most popular laboratory workhorses — because the U.S. Animal Welfare Act does not cover them. In a 2008 article in the journal Alternatives to Laboratory Animals, a group
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