Robots could reduce animal tests

[Sweetpea]

US scientists are taking the first step towards testing potentially hazardous chemicals on cells grown in a laboratory, without using live animals.

Two government agencies are looking into the merits of using high-speed automated robots to carry out tests.

The long-term goal is to reduce the cost, time and number of animals used in screening everything from pesticides to household chemicals.

The move follows calls for scientists to rely less on animal studies.

Robots would be able to carry out hundreds of thousands of chemical tests a day to identify chemicals with toxic effects.

Details were published in the journal Science and discussed at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Boston.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Robots could reduce animal tests


This can only be good news. I abhor the use of animals in testing, but as a scientist, know it has been unavoidable in some areas, so it has always been a thorny subject for me.

[poppy]

The long-term goal is to reduce the cost, time and number of animals used in screening everything from pesticides to household chemicals.

This is the big one if they can test cheaper this way, animal testing will end completely, it has always been down to money not ethics.
I shall keep everything crossed.