Toxicology

Reports and resources

The use of animals in toxicity testing (2010) (PDF 432KB)

This explains the RSPCA's approach to the issue - challenging the justification for subjecting animals to pain, suffering or distress in toxicity tests, and emphasising the need to develop new approaches to safety assessment without using animals.

Animal testing and the regulation of chemicals and products (2010) (PDF 297KB)

This explores some of the laws that lead to the use of animals for safety and efficacy testing, and to what extent this animal testing is dictated by the 'letter of the law' as opposed to its interpretation and implementation by regulatory authorities.

The testing of cosmetics using animals (2009) (PDF 52.9KB)

The RSPCA played an important role in achieving amendments to legislation in the UK and in Europe that ensure that animals will no longer be used and suffer specifically for testing cosmetic ingredients and products.

Replacement of animals in safety testing - a brighter outlook? (2008) (PDF 248KB)

In recent years there have been encouraging signs that progress towards the replacement of animals in safety testing may be accelerating. These promising developments are described.

REACH - the new EU chemicals law (2007) (PDF 51.4KB)

The RSPCA played a vital role in achieving amendments to legislative proposals put forward by the European Commission that would have required the use of tens of millions of animals for the testing of chemicals. This information paper provides information about this new law (termed REACH) and sets out the actions the RSPCA has taken to ensure the use and suffering of animals is minimised.