The British government has announced a bold plan to phase out the use of animals in some areas of scientific research. For instance, animal testing for skin sensitivity will be stopped by this year, and some research on dogs will be halted by 2030. The new policy states that the era of using animals in science has come to an end, except for special cases. Other countries have also taken similar measures. Last April, the US Food and Drug Administration unveiled a plan to make animal testing the exception, not the rule, in drug safety testing within three to five years. Ethical concerns and worries about animal welfare have fueled efforts to combat the use of animals in scientific experiments. Currently, there is also a rapid pace in developing modern scientific techniques that can replace laboratory animals.
