Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral statement of the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation in Westminster Hall of 25 October 2021, Official Report, column 46WH, how many animal tests have taken place for the purposes of regulating medicinal botulinum in Britain in each of the last three years for which statistics are available.
Answer
The Home Office can confirm that in 2018, 92,164 animal tests took place for the purposes of regulating medicinal botulinum in Britain. In 2019, 69,396 tests were carried out, and in 2020, 65,888 tests were carried out. To protect human safety there are legal requirements to test the safety and potency of medicinal products and drug substances containing botulinum toxin. This Government confirms that where validated non-animal alternatives acceptable to the relevant regulator are available to meet these legal requirements, then animal testing in the UK is not authorised. |