Scandalous record: 400,000 animals tortured each year to test botulinum toxin in Europe
It is an ordeal imposed on nearly half a million animals, and makes them die in agony. And all this for what? For "aesthetic medicine", an absolute disgrace!
A document published by scientists of the European Coalition to End Animal Experimentation (ECEAE), of which One Voice is the French representative, has revealed that no less than 400 000 animals per year are used to undergo appalling tests of botulinum toxin, better known as “botox”. A record number that shows the problem we have been raising for years: there is no real desire to leave animal experimentation.
It is an ordeal imposed on nearly half a million animals, and makes them die in agony. And all this for what? Mainly to test a molecule to temporarily block the formation of wrinkles, and occasionally for medical purposes. For “aesthetic medicine”, an absolute disgrace! Recall that the European Union has yet to adopt through the work of ECEAE, a directive banning animal testing for cosmetics, five years old already! But the pharmaceutical industry is not concerned by these rules!
According to official statistics and documents submitted by the Member States, the ECEAE estimates that 400 000 animals per year suffer in fatal experiments, mainly involving mice injected into the abdomen, before dying. Choking slowly of muscular paralysis while they are fully conscious. This is a sad and scandalous record that has just been reached.
Three companies have recently chosen to test cells grown in the laboratory and no longer use animals in these tests. We were then victorious, it was tens of thousands of animals that we managed to save thanks to the citizen mobilization, in Europe and in Switzerland.
Despite many years of campaigning and the development of innovative, ethical and reliable research methods, the number of animals poisoned with botulinum toxin continues to increase. The European directive stipulates that alternative methods must be developed for animal testing. What is that then?