India Bans Use of “Draize” Irritation Tests Using Rabbits

India Ministry of Health & Family Welfare recently prohibited the use of “Draize” irritation tests using rabbits for drug testing and instead encouraged the use of OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) validated non-animal alternatives for the purpose of ending cruelty.

According to HSI, the Draize test was developed more than 70 years ago to measure eye and skin irritation using rabbits, who are locked in restraints while a test chemical is applied to one eye or to the shaved skin on their backs. Animals are monitored for up to two weeks, without pain relief, for signs of chemical damage, which can include swelling, ulceration, bleeding and blindness. In addition to its obvious cruelty, the Draize test is not reliable or relevant to humans. A variety of validated and internationally recognized non-animal alternatives, including reconstructed human skin and corneal tissues, have been available for years -- some since 2004. These 21st century technologies, deployed as part of a sequential testing strategy, allow for complete replacement of the Draize eye and skin tests with methods that are more reproducible and reflective of human responses.

“This is a historic decision by the health ministry. Thousands of rabbits will now be spared from one of the most cruel and infamous experiments on rabbits known to mankind.” said Alokparna Sengupta, Deputy Director of HSI/India. “This, in addition to the cosmetic testing ban will provide the much needed impetus for India to move towards more humane and advanced 21st century science. We laud the Health Ministry for acting swiftly to notify the rule change and hope that the companies follow this in letter and spirit.”

India has already served as a role model for other regions looking to implement cruelty free regulatory frameworks. Taking cosmetics as an example, India achieved an entire ban on both domestic and imported animal-tested cosmetics in 2014, which makes India become the third region, after EU and Israel, to do so.