The European Union (EU) is taking a firm step towards the eradication of animal testing for chemical risk assessment. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has announced a study on an alternative method to replace current aquatic toxicity tests involving the use of fish.
The project, commissioned from the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany, will examine whether the fish embryo toxicity test (FET), enhanced with transcriptomic measurements, can be a valid alternative to chronic fish toxicity tests. Transcriptomics studies the RNA of an organism, providing detailed data without the need to sacrifice animals.
Currently, fish are used to assess short- and long-term chemical toxicity in aquatic environments and to detect endocrine effects. However, fish embryos are not protected by EU animal welfare regulations, making FET a viable option to reduce the use of animals in these assessments.
This development is particularly significant given the conflict between two European regulations: the ban on animal testing for cosmetics and REACH, which regulates chemical safety in the workplace and the environment. Under REACH, new data can still be required through animal testing, even for cosmetic ingredients, which has generated controversy.
In 2023, the EU's General Court of Justice upheld this duality, rejecting Symrise's attempt to avoid animal testing for two cosmetic ingredients. This ruling was criticised by organisations such as Cruelty Free International, which considered it a setback for animal rights.
The FET investigation could mark a milestone in reconciling these regulations, driving innovation in animal cruelty-free methods.