Stop (FDA) & Partner Companys From Animal Testing

Many manufacturers of personal care and household items still test their products on animals, despite the growing number of alternative methods for evaluating product safety. The following list contains all such companies known and their associated brand names. This list originally was compiled from two primary references (cited at the bottom of this page). In addition, it is updated as new information is made available to us. We do our absolute best, but we cannot fully guarantee its accuracy, so please use the list accordingly--and do let us know if you can offer any further updates. You may wish to print out the list and take it along next time you go shopping! Please also note that all over-the-counter medicines and/or their ingredients are extensively tested on animals, as currently required by the FDA.

Companies That Still Test on Animals (and associated brands)  http://www.thevegetariansite.com/ethics_test.htm

The marketing of drugs and other pharmaceutical products in the U.S. is controlled under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act, which empowers the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research to require extensive toxicity testing on animals before a new drug is deemed "safe"  In order to satisfy FDA data requirements, thousands of rats, mice, rabbits, dogs, and primates are killed in "pre-clinical" laboratory poisoning experiments to test the safety of new drugs (including all ingredients and even minor differences in formulation). Commonly required animal tests include the following:

• Acute (short-term) toxicity: 7 to 20 rats dogs or primates
• Subchronic (14- to 180-days) toxicity: rats dogs or primates
• Chronic (lifetime) toxicity: 120 rats 32 dogs or primates
• Cancer-causing effects: 400 rats 400 mice
• Toxicity to reproductive systems
• Segment I (reproductive toxicity in 2 generations): 2,500 rats
• Segment II (birth defects): 900 rabbits 1,300 rats
• Segment III (peri- and postnatal effects): rats
• Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion,                               And pharmacological interactions of active ingredients
• Specialty studies
• Genetic toxicity: 80 hamsters/mice x 2 to 5 separate studies
• Immune system toxicity: 32 rats
• Skin/eye/mucosal irritation: 3 rabbits per test

1. Illness

   • Often, chemicals tested internally on animals lead to illness. Animals often become lethargic or exhibit signs of distress, reports GrinningPlant. In some instances, this illness is because of a problem with the chemical being tested and in others the animals petite bodies are ill-equipped to handle the dosage administered.

   Skin Irritation

   • Skin irritation is the common result of testing products topically on animals. Cosmetic companies are the most well known for animal skin testing, as in years past they tried cosmetics on animals prior to taking the products to market. This skin irritation can range from a minor rash to a serious skin infection.

   Pain

   • Many chemicals and medicines result in general pain for the animal test subject. This pain is often unquantifiable because animals cannot express their discomfort, but this pain is often exhibited by animals who refuse to eat or remain still instead of engaging in normal activity.

   Genetic Mutation

   • Extensive testing, particularly testing involving radiation or medical procedures, can result in genetic mutations in test animals. In some instances, genetic mutations are induced to test the validity of a scientific principle or the effect of the manipulation of one or more of the animal's genes. These genetic mutations can result in the death of the animal or the inability for the animal to interact with other animals effectively.

   Death

   • Many test subjects die as a result of the testing they undergo. Often test animals are not given medical treatment to counteract the effects of the testing they are subjected to, resulting in eventual loss of body function and early death.