The European Commission Is Testing Toxins Without Animals, so Why Can’t the U.S.?

In March of this year, a full European Union (EU) ban of marketing on cosmetics and hygiene products tested on animals went into effect and alternatives to animal testing are rapidly gaining acceptance.

The NOTOX project in the EU intends to develop and validate new computer models capable of predicting possible long-term toxic effects on the human body. The most important consequence of this will be that, in the near future, the use of living organisms to test the safety of certain substances will simply no longer be needed.

The project focuses on the liver, the central organ for eliminating toxic substances from the body. NOTOX scientists have examined, through various test-tube experiments, how certain substances affect human liver cells. They then devised highly complex computer models to replicate their findings.

NOTOX has brought eleven internationally renowned and interdisciplinary research teams from all over Europe to work on the project. On the NOTOX website, a film can be viewed that chronicles their journey toward more humane and accurate testing.

Credit: Community Research and Development Information Service

Image Source: Audrey Sel / Flickr