Brussels, 31/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - For the first time, the REACH regulation on the registration, evaluation and limited authorisation of chemical products within the EU, has been modified to update certain testing methods and add new ones. One of these new methods aims to reduce the number of animals used as guinea pigs in tests on whether chemical products cause skin irritation. This innovation will help to save, amongst other animals, rabbits, which are most often used for the purposes of experiments. Conventional testing uses up to three of these small mammals for each chemical test.
This news was announced by the European Commission on 25 July. The institution is committed to improve testing methods and to reduce the number of animal tests in favour of alternative methods. In so doing, the Commission is observing the requirements of Community legislation on testing methods for chemical products, as modified in May 2008 to speed up the search for alternative solutions to animal testing wherever possible. (A.N./trans.fl)