Animal Testing in the Twenty‐First Century: A Review of Traditional Methodologies and Insights into Improving Outcomes by Optimizing Study Designs

Abstract

Abstract Toxicity testing with animal test subjects is at an interesting crossroads. The many advances in alternative testing methods and computational toxicology models (amongst others) are leading the charge in replacing testing in laboratory animals. However, mandated animal testing for the European Union (EU) REACH regulation, along with its burgeoning cousins around the world has resulted in an enormous increase in animal testing. Hampering the ability to address this increase in testing is the current state of industrial toxicology, where company consolidation, closure of industry‐owned laboratories, and generally tighter budgets have resulted in staff with younger toxicologists that are less prepared for the mass conduct of animal studies. This challenge is exacerbated by current academic training which is focused far more on subcellular methods and “‐omics” than the whole animal models of decades past. Rather than simply rehashing the minutia of guideline study designs, the goal of this chapter is to provide various approaches that toxicologists can use in a method of “holistic toxicity testing” to greatly improve the chances of conducting a high‐quality study by limiting mistakes and omissions and also by conducting testing in such a way that studies conducted today can improve studies conducted in the future.