According to an article in the NY times by Barnaby J. Feder, human skin, eyes, the lining of the throat are now continually being grown in test tubes from donated human cells. The goal is to use the human tissues in place of mice, dogs or other lab animals for testing new drugs, cosmetics and other products. He stated that these methods for creating these tissue samples are one of the most complex of an expanding part of technologies created to eliminate or reduce animal testing. he also stated in other cases, testing is being conducted virtually, using computers and simulation software. And for other tests, people have replaced animals; volunteers get micro-doses of potential drugs that can be analyzed but cause no ill effects.
Feder ststed that the alternatives are being pushed by a few giants eager to move from animal testing for scientific, business and image reasons. Len Sauers, the executive who oversees the work for Procter & Gamble, ststed that the company has spent "$225 million" developing and executing alternative testing methods for a wide range of personal and pet care products and food over the last 20 years. Feder stated that L’Oréal, the French cosmetics giant, spent more than "$800 million" over the same period. That includes contracts to buy Episkin and SkinEthic, two companies that make alternative test samples.
Patricia Pineau, L’Oréal Research’s spokeswoman, stated, “this is not an area of competition for us,” and that tissue testing products and services were sold at regular cost to other companies, including rivals like P.&G. and Unilever.
For more information on the companies alternatives:
http://www.loreal.com/csr-commitments/loreal-answers/the-question-of-animal-testing.aspx
http://www.pgbeautyscience.com/animal-testing-alternatives.php
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