One example is in-vitro research, where experiments are conducted on cell and tissue cultures instead of animals. Another is computer simulation, which predicts the toxicity of chemicals based on their molecular structure. Other examples include epidemiological studies and clinical research.
Even researchers who strongly support continued animal testing generally agree that the number of animal tests could be significantly reduced if alternative methods were used more widely.
Continue with these questions:
- Do animal-rights supporters avoid life-saving medicines developed through animal testing?
- Are there laws regulating the use of animals in laboratories?
- How is animal testing different from other situations where people kill animals to survive?
- What if a cure for cancer could be produced through an experiment on just one animal?
- Are animals also killed during crop harvesting and road construction?
- What if you were in a burning building and could save only your child or your dog?