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. Stop buying products tested on animals For most products there are many alternatives that have not been tested on animals. Check what is marked on the products that you buy or have a look at this list of products not tested on animals, By not buying cosmetics or household products tested on animals the sales of the companies that test on animals goes down. This way no money goes to supporting animal testing done by these companies. 2. Join an animal right organization This is a way to both support campaigns against animal testing and also get information on animal rights. Find a local organization working for animal rights. Here are some: Peta (USA), BUAV (UK), 3. Sign a petition online It’s easy and fast. Here is an example of a petition you can write your name on, but look for others as well. 4. Write to a company testing on animals Even better, if you have the time write a polite letter to the chief of a company testing on animals. The chief himself or herself won’t probably read your letter, but a secretary will and it will be noticed especially if many do the same thing. Here is a website with contact details Alternatives The science of cosmetics safety testing has progressed greatly in recent years, and there are now dozens of proven non-animal test methods accepted by government regulators of cosmetics. Examples include 3-dimensional human skin models, which can fully replace the use of rabbits for skin irritation testing, and cell culture tests for sunlight-induced “photo”-toxicity, genetic mutations, and other harmful effects. Unlike animal tests, which have never been ‘validated’ to demonstrate their relevance to people, non-animal methods have been shown to be scientifically superior – and usually take less time to complete, at a fraction of the cost of animal experiments. Reducing animal suffering as a whole requires the use of alternative approaches to animal testing. While the scientific community generally supports the use of animals to further our knowledge of health and medicine, they still acknowledge the need for alternatives to reduce animal suffering. This is accomplished through the use of several different categories of alternatives, which are often described as the three Rs of biomedical research. They are: Reduction Replacement Refinement

Stop Buying Products Tested on Animals

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. Stop buying products tested on animalsFor most products there are many alternatives that have not been tested on animals. Check what is marked on the products that you buy or have a look atthis list of products not tested on animals, By not buying cosmetics or household products tested on animals the sales of the companies that test on animals goes down. This way no money goes to supporting animal testing done by these companies.2. Join an animal right organizationThis is a way to both support campaigns against animal testing and also get information on animal rights. Find a local organization working for animal rights. Here are some:Peta(USA),BUAV(UK), 3. Sign a petition onlineIts easy and fast.Here is an example of a petitionyou can write your name on, but look for others as well.4. Write to a company testing on animalsEven better, if you have the time write a polite letter to the chief of a company testing on animals. The chief himself or herself wont probably read your letter, but a secretary will and it will be noticed especially if many do the same thing.Here is a websitewith contact detailsAlternativesThe science of cosmetics safety testing has progressed greatly in recent years, and there are now dozens of proven non-animal test methods accepted by government regulators of cosmetics. Examples include 3-dimensional human skin models, which can fully replace the use of rabbits for skin irritation testing, and cell culture tests for sunlight-induced photo-toxicity, genetic mutations, and other harmful effects.Unlike animal tests, which have never been validated to demonstrate their relevance to people, non-animal methods have been shown to be scientifically superior and usually take less time to complete, at a fraction of the cost of animal experiments.Reducing animal suffering as a whole requires the use of alternative approaches to animal testing. While the scientific community generally supports the use of animals to further our knowledge of health and medicine, they still acknowledge the need for alternatives to reduce animal suffering. This is accomplished through the use of several different categories of alternatives, which are often described as the three Rs of biomedical research. They are: Reduction Replacement RefinementEach has its own challenges and hurdles to overcome but thus far, the use of alternatives has helped some laboratories to significantly reduce the use of animals in testing. Unfortunately, the slight spike in animal use locally over the last several years has led to a great deal of controversy, particularly because we now have non-animal models of testing and new techniques that should ideally be reducing the numbers of animals used in testing.Replacement Methods in Animal TestingReplacement methods in animal testing involve actually replacing the use of live animals with other methods that are completely non-animal in nature. Wherever possible, companies in the United Kingdom (UK) should be using alternatives such as replacement methods. During the consideration process of granting a project license, the Home Office will carefully weigh many aspects of the proposal, one of which is whether any suitable alternatives exist. If a non-animal model exists that will provide comparable results, then the project license will not be granted.Types of Replacement Methods in Animal TestingWhenever it is feasible, a replacement method such as an in vitro method is performed in place of animal testing. In vitro methods refer to test tube methods or cell cultures and these can be extremely valuable and effective in replacing animal models. As with any alternative methods, they must be approved and validated as well as receive general acceptance by the scientific community and the local agencies that regulate the field.One way to replace animal use is to improve the use of information. This means that by using epidemiological studies and similar information, it may be possible to avoid animal testing in some instances. Using previously established information means that researchers can avoid repeating experiments. Also, mathematical and computer models can sometimes provide information that is sufficient enough to warrant avoidance of animal testing. Another replacement method is to use plants and microbes instead of animals. As mentioned, in vitro methods can sometimes replace animal testing as well although they are more commonly used to reduce the number of animals used rather than as a total replacement for animal use. Human studies can sometimes completely substitute animal use in an experiment. In particular, human studies have replaced animal testing for cosmetics development. Although animal testing for cosmetics is banned in the UK and will soon be banned in the European Union, it is still allowed elsewhere around the world. Another replacement method involves analysing the chemical and physical properties of a substance to predict its behaviour.Importance of Replacement MethodsReplacement methods are a vital one of the three Rs of animal testing alternatives because they completely replace the animal model with a non-animal method of testing. In fact, there has been the suggestion that these replacement methods can, in some cases, provide a better scientific approach than animal testing.Animal testing relies on certain similarities between humans and animals when testing a substance but the differences are still enormous as well. This means that we are still essentially extrapolating data from animal studies to give us an idea of whether it is appropriate to continue with human clinical trials. At the same time, the aggressive substitution of replacing an animal model with a non-animal one means that replacement methods can require a great deal of testing and analysis before receiving approval. It is challenging and difficult to replace an entire organism, which is why replacement methods are not as common as refinement and reduction approaches and techniques. Still, the challenge must be faced if we are to find new ways of testing that utilise non-animal models.What are alternative test methods?Alternative test methods are test methods that reduce, refine, or replace animal use in research and testing. Reduction, refinement, and replacement are commonly referred to as the 3Rs. The 3Rs concept was first described by William Russell and Rex Burch in their 1959 bookThe Principles of Humane Experimental Technique.What do "reduce, refine, or replace" mean in the context of animal use in research and testing? A test method thatreducesanimal use decreases the number of animals required for testing while still achieving testing objectives. A test method thatrefinesanimal use lessens or eliminates pain or distress in animals, or enhances animal well-being. A test method thatreplacesanimals substitutes traditional animal models with nonanimal systems such as computer models or biochemical or cell-based systems, or replaces one animal species with a less highly developed one (for example, replacing a mouse with a worm).Why is safety testing performed on chemical products?U.S. regulatory agencies require testing of consumer products, medicines, and industrial and agricultural chemicals to identify potential health and safety hazards. Testing these substances enables appropriate hazard classification and labeling, which in turn enables informed decisions about responsible use, storage, and disposal. All toxicity test methods used for regulatory purposes must be based on sound science and able to adequately identify hazards.Why are animals still used for safety testing?Human and animal responses to chemicals are complex and difficult to accurately assess using only biochemical or cell-based (in vitro) systems or computer models. No singlein vitrotest method is currently available to serve all regulatory needs for a specific testing area. In some areas, such as identification of severe eye irritants and substances that could cause allergic contact dermatitis, major progress has been made in reducing and replacing animal use. For other hazards, such as identification of substances that can cause cancer or birth defects, development ofin vitrotests that reliably identify hazards is more difficult because of the number of different mechanisms involved in these complex biological processes.