TOXICITY.inc—End Animal Toxicity Testing

What is Toxicity Testing?

Outdated Science

Safety and efficacy results from animal tests are a driving force behind 90% of new medicines failing in human trials. Despite obvious differences in physiology, biochemistry and genetic expression, animals continue to be subjected to toxicity testing. Nowadays, advanced, human-relevant science can better predict human outcomes.

Animal Suffering

Toxicity testing is the legally mandated exposure of animals to test substances to determine the concentration at which harm, illness or death occurs. Animals are restrained and repeatedly made to inhale, ingest or endure contact with test substances—often at excessively high doses—for drug, pesticide and other product approval.

Human Suffering

Technicians are required to perform distressing tests on animals as part of regulatory approval processes. The untenable moral conflict they face in having to inflict suffering, called the ‘caring/killing’ paradox, can lead to PTSD, secondary trauma, moral injury and depression.

“We all cared about the animals. They looked to us in hope and yet we had to harm them.”

Former Lab Worker

Beagles are chosen for animal research because of their placid nature. Even when they are subjected to harmful tests, they continue to seek the affection of their caretakers. They are usually killed at the end of the experiments.

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Forcing dogs to inhale and ingest chemicals

The friendly, gentle and compliant nature that makes beagles such cherished companion animals is also among the reasons they have been so widely used in laboratory testing.

They suffer for science that rarely works.

Primates are intelligent, socially complex animals who experience fear and distress deeply. Yet their biology differs profoundly from ours, meaning experiments on them often fail to predict how humans will respond.

Primates locked in a cycle of suffering

Confined to cages and repeatedly restrained for invasive procedures, primates suffer daily distress and harm until they are killed when testing ends.

Traditional practices should not limit scientific progress.

Animal experimentation began centuries ago, in an era when animals were not considered sentient beings. Today, we know that they share with us the capacity to experience pain, distress, fear and joy. Each species is unique—including humans—in how they react to chemicals and other substances. Moving to modern, human-relevant technologies will provide better outcomes for both humans and other animals.

Rabbits—immobilised and distressed

The size and defencelessness of rabbits make them particularly vulnerable to harmful procedures and restraint apparatus.

Day after day, they know only suffering.

Some substances are tested on not one, but two species, often involving great numbers of animals. Their suffering is an unavoidable part of the testing system. Pain relief is normally withheld because it might interfere with the data.

Exposing pigs to test substances

Despite being one of the most intelligent and sensitive of species, mini-pigs are being increasingly subjected to invasive and distressing procedures in toxicity testing.

Frightened, confused, and subjected to daily dosing.

Test substances are administered to animals at varying dose levels. In some studies, animals may receive doses substantially above anticipated human exposure levels, in some cases up to 100 times higher, to determine at what concentration the substance can cause harm or death.

Prolonged and painful procedures

Rats are highly intelligent and social rodents, known for their empathy. They are one of the most commonly used species in toxicity testing.

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They can’t choose. They can’t refuse. But we can.

The EU Connection

Delivering on the EU's commitment to phase out animal testing for safety assessments.

New footage offers a glimpse inside facilities where animals are used for toxicity testing. The procedures filmed are not isolated cases. They remain standard practice under the current EU regulatory framework. However, this reality could change. Science and innovation are advancing at a remarkable pace. Modern non-animal methods can increasingly generate more relevant data on the safety of substances, providing better protection for humans, animals and the environment. These innovative methods are not only more ethical, but also represent a significant scientific and economic opportunity for the EU to take a leading role globally in next-generation safety assessment. The EU has published a Roadmap to phase out animal testing in chemical safety assessment. However, ambition must be matched with concrete action. To achieve the objective of phasing out animal testing, clear milestones must be set, coordinated actions must be taken, and sustained investment is required. European citizens have a powerful role to play. Now is the time to speak up. Use the form to send a message to the EU Commissioners, urging them to implement an ambitious and comprehensive plan for phasing out animal testing for chemical safety assessment. Together, we can drive the transition towards innovative, humane and science-based testing methods that do not involve animals.

Support Animal-free Science

Science and innovation are advancing at a remarkable pace. Modern, non-animal methods can increasingly generate more relevant data on the safety of substances, providing better protection for humans, animals and the environment.

The EU has just published a Roadmap to phase out animal testing in chemical safety assessments, but this plan must be backed by concrete milestones, targeted investment, and decisive political action. The opportunity to lead a humane and science-based transition is within reach—what’s needed now is the will to act. Send an urgent message calling on {{target_name}}, to deliver an ambitious, comprehensive, and fully implementable Roadmap to phase out animal testing.

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