Right now in laboratories across the U.S., small animals are confined to stocks while chemicals eat away their soft skin, right down to the muscle and tissue.
Who is responsible for this suffering? Federal agencies including the EPA, the FDA, and OSHA, among others.
This suffering is completely unnecessary! Faster, less expensive, and better non-animal tests are available - and they are already the standard in many countries.
Five different animal-based tests that study skin absorption, skin corrosion, skin irritation, phototoxicity (an inflammatory skin reaction caused by exposure to a chemical and subsequent exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet radiation), and pyrogenicity (fever and inflammation-causing agents) have internationally recognized non-animal replacements. If the U.S. followed the example of European countries, the suffering and deaths of countless animals could be prevented.
TELL CONGRESS THAT ANIMAL TESTING HAS NO PLACE IN US FEDERAL AGENCIES. SUPPORT CRUELTY-FREE TESTING NOW!
Dear [Decision maker],
While no one is intentionally cruel in crafting measures to protect the public health, the current testing methods used by our federal agencies subject animals to needless pain and suffering. As a concerned citizen, I ask you to help end the use of animal testing where internationally recognized non-animal methods can be used instead.
I urge you to put pressure on the following federal agencies to use alternative methods for scientific testing:
- Environmental Protection Agency (skin corrosion, skin absorption, and skin irritation)
- Food and Drug Administration (skin absorption, skin irritation, phototoxicity, and pyrogenicity)
- Department of Transportation (skin corrosion)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (skin absorption)
- Consumer Product Safety Commission (skin irritation)
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (skin absorption)
Other member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a leader in the development of indicators to benchmark scientific innovations around the world, have already replaced these tests with non-animal methods.
There is no reason for our federal agencies to require the use of animal-test methods when other internationally recognized cruelty-free options are available.
[Your comment]
The U.S. should take the lead in developing sophisticated, scientifically sound, non-animal toxicity testing methods. Please end the suffering of countless animals while also allowing these agencies to do their job.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]
