New undercover footage from inside testing laboratories in the United Kingdom has revealed how animals are used in drug testing.
The footage was filmed secretly by a lab worker at two UK testing facilities and shared with The Mail on Sunday.
The video shows monkeys being restrained while a tube is pushed into their mouths and down into their stomachs. This method is used to deliver test substances directly into the body and study how new drugs are absorbed and processed.
In other scenes, dogs and monkeys are fitted with masks and forced to inhale
experimental substances. During these procedures, the animals are held in place using restraints around their neck and body to prevent movement.
Pigs and rabbits, are also used in different types of experiments. Some tests involve applying substances to the skin or creating small wounds to study healing and infection.
These experiments are designed to test how drugs affect animal organs before they are tested on humans.
The procedures can be repeated over long periods, sometimes lasting weeks or months. After the tests, animals are killed.
Tests on pregnant animals
In some studies, drugs are given to pregnant animals to understand how they may affect development before birth. These are usually pregnant rabbits or rats.
Scientists look at possible effects on both the mother and the developing fetus. These tests are used to check whether a drug could cause harm during pregnancy before it is tested on humans.
Animal testing is legal in the UK and is required for many medicines before approval.
The newly released footage has increased debate about whether these methods are still necessary.
Scientists and regulators, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, are now supporting alternatives such as computer models and lab-grown human cells.
Research also shows that many drugs that appear safe in animals do not work in humans, raising questions about how effective animal testing is.
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