News

Published: 09 May 2023

Doctors Against Animal Experiments prevents numerous REACH chemical animal tests

The nationwide association Doctors Against Animal Experiments and international partner organisations have prevented 115 animal testing projects for toxicity tests at the European Chemicals Agency ECHA in a major long-term project. In this way, over 115,000 animals were saved from agonising toxicity tests and death.

The REACH regulation stipulates that companies must register their chemicals with the EU authority ECHA and submit comprehensive information on their safety. Companies must first submit proposals for new animal testing to the ECHA. Once the proposals have been submitted to the ECHA, a public comment process is opened by third parties. The experts have 45 days to provide scientifically sound reasons why the animal tests are not necessary. ECHA is obliged to take these comments into account in its final decision to carry out the tests. 

Since 2009, Doctors Against Animal Experiments, together with their umbrella organisation ECEAE, have commissioned external toxicologists to comment on the proposed animal tests in a major long-term project - with the aim of preventing as many animal tests as possible. One of the main points of criticism was that the tests did not have to be carried out because the production volume of the substances was so low that animal testing was not required under the REACH regulation. In addition, in many cases it was possible to draw on existing data on a test substance or similar substances, which meant that further animal testing could be avoided.

"To date, we were aware of 98 animal testing proposals involving 103,427 animals that we were able to prevent in this way," explains Dr Tamara Zietek, Science Coordinator at Doctors Against Animal Experiments. This figure has now increased to 115 animal testing proposals, which means that 115,137 animals, mainly rats, have been saved from death. "This is a huge success!", says Dr Zietek. "Animal experiments for toxicity testing of chemicals are associated with great suffering for the animals. Substances are administered to the animals in high doses by gavage every day for months. Pregnant animals are also used for these tests to investigate the consequences of chemical administration for offspring and reproduction." 

In an animal experiment called EOGRTS, for example, male and female rats are administered a test substance by gavage every day for a fortnight before mating, during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. The offspring are subjected to the same procedure until they are fully grown. All animals are tested for signs of poisoning before they are killed.

The EOGRTS was proposed when the fertiliser calcium cyanide was approved. Although data on similar chemicals were already available, the company wanted to carry out the EOGRTS in this case because it expected the toxicity of calcium cyanide to be lower. As part of the commenting procedure, we criticised the fact that the available data were sufficient, so that there was no reason for new animal testing. The ECHA agreed with our opinion and in this way 960 animals could be spared. In the same way, our efforts saved 1,720 rats from EOGRTS when it came to the authorisation of a fuel additive and a lubricant for brake fluids. "By preventing EOGRTS alone, we were able to save a total of 11,710 animals from death," says Dr Zietek.

Together with its international partner organisations, Doctors Against Animal Experiments is working hard at EU level to prevent animal experiments and to achieve a chnage to non-animal toxicity tests.