The marketing of drugs and other pharmaceutical products in the U.S. is controlled under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act, which empowers the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research to require extensive toxicity testing on animals before a new drug is deemed "safe"  In order to satisfy FDA data requirements, thousands of rats, mice, rabbits, dogs, and primates are killed in "pre-clinical" laboratory poisoning experiments to test the safety of new drugs (including all ingredients and even minor differences in formulation). Commonly required animal tests include the following:

• Acute (short-term) toxicity: 7 to 20 rats dogs or primates
• Subchronic (14- to 180-days) toxicity: rats dogs or primates
• Chronic (lifetime) toxicity: 120 rats 32 dogs or primates
• Cancer-causing effects: 400 rats 400 mice
• Toxicity to reproductive systems
• Segment I (reproductive toxicity in 2 generations): 2,500 rats
• Segment II (birth defects): 900 rabbits 1,300 rats
• Segment III (peri- and postnatal effects): rats
• Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion,                               And pharmacological interactions of active ingredients
• Specialty studies
• Genetic toxicity: 80 hamsters/mice x 2 to 5 separate studies
• Immune system toxicity: 32 rats
• Skin/eye/mucosal irritation: 3 rabbits per test

FDA http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ContactFDA/default.htm

Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg
Acting Commissioner
Food and Drug Administration
5600 Fishers Ln.
Rockville, MD 20857
301-796-5000
margaret.hamburg@fda.hhs.gov

Lorrie McNeill, Director
Division of Communication and Consumer Affairs
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research
Food and Drug Administration
11400 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20857
301-827-2000
301-827-3843 (fax)
lorrie.mcneill@fda.hhs.gov
The FDA requires extensive toxicity testing on animals. Testing the effectiveness of medical devices is often difficult because they are specific to human anatomy and physiology. For this reason, pigs, sheep, and dogs are the most commonly used species since they have the misfortune of being relatively similar to humans in overall size and in organ size. Even so, the geometry of the animals' bodies is often too dissimilar to be of use.
We The Undersigned Strongly Urge You To End These Cruel And Unwarranted Tests Performed By The FDA.
Thank you For Your Co-Operation
FDA http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ContactFDA/default.htm