In the LD-50 test, a group of healthy animals, usually rabbits, are forced to consume amounts of a chemical, and suffer excruciating pain in the process as no anaesthetic is used. The test is complete when half of the group die, the rest of the animals are then killed, usually by cracking there neck, autopsied and analysed to see which systems of the animal broke down and why they didn’t break during the test.
In the United Kingdom, just under three million experiments are carried out on animals each year. According to government figures, 2,716,587 'procedures' were performed in 1996.
British law requires that any new drug must be tested on at least two different species of live mammal. One must be a large non-rodent.
My question to you then is were you aware of this testing and research that is done in an attempt under current legislation to protect you from any potential harmful products that are daily brought on to the market place ? I believe that we turn a blind eye to this testing in our ever expanding desire for in the majority of cases are products that we neither need or ask for The whole situation is enlarged and perpetuated by commercial interests who are faced to compete in a ever increasing trade war with one another for our, the consumers cash.
When you go home tonight, look at your shampoo, hair gel, shower gel, well really any cosmetic product and see if it has a logo saying it is not tested on animals I think you will be surprised with what you find.
Many companies the Co-op and the body shop have opted out of this situation by using ingredients within their products that do not use a cocktail of experimental and unknown ingredients and mixtures,
They prefer to utilise the ingredients that are already passed thereby avoiding this cruel and unnecessary testing purely for our vanity
Tens of thousands of animals are used for medical research and whilst it is unpleasant there is in my opinion a benefit to society as a whole. New drugs and medical procedures need to be tested and checked for the benefit of mankind but believe more should be done to justify and minimise and pain and suffering that may be inflicted on these animals that die for our benefit The same cannot be said for cosmetic testing it is outdated and cruel and the government should now look at the legislation and review and amend it to deal with this horrific situation that is carried out in our name
