Alternatives to Animal Testing

Abstract

The phrase “animal rights movement” includes both individuals and groups committed to animal welfare (the humane treatment of animals) and individuals and groups committed to animal rights (the reduction in numbers used or total elimination of the use of animals in safety testing and research). This movement initially began in Europe during the 19th century and is both militant and influential there even to this day. The animal rights movement came to the United States in the early part of this century and was less militant and influential until the late 1970s. At that time, a campaign focusing on a specific issue and targeting a defined industry was launched that united the disparate philosophies and groups of the animal welfare and animal rights activists. The issue was the Draize eye irritancy test that utilizes the rabbit animal model, and the industry was the highly visible and image conscious cosmetics industry. Through its trade association, the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CTFA), this industry responded by sponsoring a symposium on in vitro and in vivo approaches to ocular safety testing’ and subsequently founded the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland with a 3-year (1981-1984) $1 million grant. Subsequently, this same industry trade association granted the Center a 2-year extension grant of $700,000 (1984-1986). The first 3 years of the Center’s activities were devoted to the organization and logistics of establishing the Center to endure beyond the initial grant monies. Grants were awarded to researchers to elucidate basic mechanisms of the inflammatory process. The next two years will see this Center award grants to researchers who may be able to actually apply existing alternative test methods or develop new ones. In addition, there are research programs for