USA: Contributions From the Institute for In Vitro Sciences and the Animal Protection Community

In the United States, non-governmental organisations have played a major role over the last 30 or more years in moving in vitro toxicology from modest beginnings to routine use by many companies in their internal product stewardship and development programmes, as well as in many regulatory applications. The Institute for In Vitro Sciences is an example of a non-profit, science-based organisation, whose laboratories have consistently participated in major international and US validation programmes, resulting in the acceptance of many non-animal assays by regulatory agencies. Its Education and Outreach programmes have promoted and facilitated the use of these scientifically-validated assays throughout the world. US animal protection organisations have promoted this move away from animal testing in many ways, including mobilising consumers, lobbying legislators and regulators, and supporting Three Rs efforts financially.