India takes first step to remove animals from drug testing

Context:-The government of India recently made an amendment to the New drugs and clinical trial rules(2023) which aims to prevent the use of animals in research, especially drug testing.

Briefly discuss in drug testing on animals:-

• When a new drug is developed it goes through a very complicated process of testing to ensure its safety and efficacy.
• One of the initial stages of drug testing is animal testing.
• Since drugs can’t be directly tested on human beings because of the risk of toxic damage, side effects and even eventual death.
• The safety of the drug and the efficacy of the drug has to be tested out even before clinical trials can begin.
• So prior to granting approval for clinical human trials the safety and efficacy has to be proven by the drug manufacturer through adequate animal testing.
• Today around the world there is a greater awakening about animal rights, about the human damage caused to innocent sentient beings through our testing process so because of the global moment many countries are banning cosmetic testing of products on animals including India.
• But when it comes to drugs, vaccines and pharmaceutical products in many countries they still depend on various animals like pigs, monkeys and rats etc. These are the preferred species to test out various drugs and pharmaceutical products before they are pushed towards human trials and human testing.

The reason of testing drugs on animal:-

There is two reasons 

• One is the safety issue since drugs are risky to be administered directly to the humans,to minimise the risk animals are preferred for testing.
• And another reason,it is believed that some of these animals closely resemble human genetics and human physiology like pigs,rats, monkeys etc.They closely resemble human tissues and human organs and human physiology function.

India first step towards removing animals from drug testing

New Drugs and Clinical Trial Rules(2023):-

•  Drug testing on animals definitely is a violation of animal rights.
• In this regard India recently made an amendment with few rules the “New Drugs and Clinical Trial Rules”(2023) has been notified by the government of India with the objective of ending animal testing and use of animals in research, particularly in drug testing.

Features:-

• India is looking to implement a permanent ban in the coming years to end drug testing an animal forever.
• They have other mediums and technologies which provide more efficient and safer testing.
• The technologies like Bioprinting,organ-on-chip,the development of organs through 3-D organoids. Which are able to manufacture human tissue and cells and remake human physiology.
• Use the technologies to test the safety and efficacy of new drugs .
• Europe, Canada,the United States, all these major countries are moving away from animal testing.

Conclusion:-

Animals are still needed in medical research but at least as per as drug testing concerned we can gradually decrease the dependency on animal testing.

• It is fair for animals.
• It will help drug and pharmaceutical companies to quickly test the drugs and bring efficient drugs into the market.
• It also produces more efficient drugs and safe drugs with little side effects and human beings.
• It set the path for banning usage of animals in drug testing and this marked a major shift in India’s pharmaceutical industry.

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