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Other research methods such as in vitro testing (tests done on human cells or tissue in a petri dish) offer opportunities to reduce or replace animal testing. Technological advancements in 3D printing allow the possibility for tissue bioprinting: a French company is working to bioprint a liver that can test the toxicity of a drug. Artificial human skin, such as the commercially available products EpiDerm and ThinCert, can be made from sheets of human skin cells grown in test tubes or plastic wells and may produce more useful results than testing chemicals on animal skin. [15] [16] [50] [51]
Michael Bachelor, Senior Scientist and Product Manager at biotech company MatTek, stated, “We can now create a model from human skin cells — keratinocytes — and produce normal skin or even a model that mimics a skin disease like psoriasis. Or we can use human pigment-producing cells — melanocytes — to create a pigmented skin model that is similar to human skin from different ethnicities. You can’t do that on a mouse or a rabbit.” The Environmental Protection Agency is so confident in alternatives that the agency intends to reduce chemical testing on mammals 30% by 2025 and end it altogether by 2035. [61] [134] [140]
Scientists are also able to test vaccines on humans volunteers. Unlike animals used for research, humans are able to give consent to be used in testing and are a viable option when the need arises. The COVID-19 (coronavirus) global pandemic demonstrated that researchers can skip animal testing and go straight to observing how vaccines work in humans. One company working on a COVID-19 vaccine, Moderna Therapeutics, worked on developing a vaccine using new technology: instead of being based on a weakened form of the virus, it was developed using a synthetic copy of the COVID-19 genetic code
In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on finding alternatives to animal testing in the field of scientific research. The development of other research methods, such as in vitro testing, has presented promising opportunities to reduce or even replace the need for animal testing. In vitro testing involves conducting tests on human cells or tissue in a controlled environment, such as a petri dish. For example, a French company is currently working on bioprinting a liver using 3D printing technology, which would allow the toxicity of drugs to be tested on human tissue rather than animals. Additionally, artificial human skin products, such as EpiDerm and ThinCert, offer a more accurate and ethically-sound alternative to testing chemicals on animal skin.
Michael Bachelor, a Senior Scientist and Product Manager at biotech company MatTek, highlights the advantages of these alternative methods, stating that they allow for the creation of models using human skin cells or pigmented skin models resembling different ethnicities. This level of specificity and customization cannot be achieved through the use of animals in research. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is so confident in the effectiveness of these alternatives that it plans to reduce chemical testing on mammals by 30% by 2025 and completely eliminate it by 2035.
Furthermore, the importance of human volunteers in the testing of vaccines cannot be overstated. Unlike animals used for research, humans can give informed consent and are able to provide valuable insights into the effectiveness and safety of vaccines. This was demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, where researchers were able to skip animal testing and directly observe the effects of vaccines in human volunteers. Moderna Therapeutics, one company working on a COVID-19 vaccine, utilized innovative technology by developing a vaccine based on a synthetic copy of the COVID-19 genetic code, rather than using a weakened form of the virus.
Overall, advancements in research methods and the recognition of the limitations and ethical concerns surrounding animal testing have paved the way for the development and implementation of alternative approaches. From in vitro testing to human volunteer-based studies, these alternatives offer more accurate and relevant results while minimizing the need for animal experimentation.