Opposition to Animal Testing to Boost Adoption of In Vitro Toxicity Testing
In vitro toxicity testing involves the study of the consequences of various toxic chemical agents on cultured cells or mammals. In vitro testing techniques are usually utilized mostly to verify the absence of certain toxic elements in the early stage of development. Generally used in the laboratories, this testing technique also aids in the identification of various toxic elements that may prove harmful in various industrial processes.
Several factors boost the adoption of in vitro toxicity testing. These include, opposition to animal testing; concerns over animal experiments, owing to issues such as difference between various test animals and the resultant effect of toxicants on the animals; and favorable guidelines. Moreover, several animal welfare associations and organizations are focused on eliminating toxicity testing on animals. Regulatory bodies around the globe are focused on issuing guidelines. For instance, in January 2020, the U.S. FDA finalized its In Vitro Guidance for the pharmaceutical industry in order to help drug developers plan and evaluate studies to determine the drug-drug interaction potential of an investigational drug product.
In vitro toxicity testing finds application in pharmaceutical, cosmetics & household products, diagnostics, chemicals, and food sectors. Cell culture, high throughput, molecular imaging, and omics are some of the technologies in toxicity testing. In-vitro tester are specialized devices that are attached to a machine where liquids are introduced in large amounts. The chemical reaction taking place here may result in some kinds of results. These results are then compared with the results of the original experiments. This procedure is generally carried out by the laboratory personnel to evaluate the safety level for the chemicals in use in the laboratories. After a successful analysis, results are given and a conclusion is drawn on the in vitro tester's report.
Several safety guidelines are being issued to prevent or reduce the chances of exposure to various toxic materials during testing procedures. To date, there are no reported deaths or cases of tumors due to the use of in-vitro Toxicity testing but the safety precautions need to be implemented to minimize the hazards in labs. As a matter of fact, even professionals who are authorized to use the in-vitro tester, like pharmacists, physicians, nurses, laboratory technicians, etc. have been cautioned to exercise extreme caution and take utmost care when using this device. The in-vitro tester should be used only in controlled labs. The chemical used in such laboratories may be extremely hazardous and there is always a possibility that the device might not be able to provide the required result. Hence, even the slightest error could cause the death or injury to the persons being tested.
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