Do companies and researchers put aside a substantial amount of money in order to find alternatives to animal use?
Federal funding for alternatives has historically been abysmal. Some companies, however, have put substantial resources into finding alternatives. In the context of animal research, “alternatives” include not only the replacement of animals altogether, but reduction in the number of animals used and refinement of research so that it causes less pain, distress and suffering. Therefore, there are a number of alternatives currently available and can include something as simple as housing social animals in pairs rather than individually. Unfortunately, however, aggressive development and implementation of alternatives, particularly replacement alternatives, is a complex process and involves some inherent obstacles. First, there must be adequate funding and interest in the development of alternatives. Additionally, in some cases, an existing alternative must be validated—an expensive and time-consuming process—in order to be accepted by regulatory agencies and others; this is particularly t
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