Low on sentiments: Zebra, fishes may be used for testing beauty products
1 Nov 2014 5:34 AM IST
Soon the ministry is going to organise a meeting on need for alternatives, rational and ethical usage of animals in drug testing. Informed sources said, the ministry after holding consultation with the scientists and biologists has come found that there are several animals, marine creatures and worms which have little emotional feelings and such test could be carried out on them.
It was learnt that ministry is going to discuss whether Zebra, Fishes, Drosophila (insect) and Caenorhabditis Elegans (a mutant worm), which are less sentient and emotional, can be used in such tests or not. Also, apart from live demonstration of drugs on these creatures, the ministry is also planning to promote use of 3D cultures in manufacturing drug and cosmetics.
Interestingly, the environment ministry along with the ministry of health and private drug manufacturers is planning to take the case of Caenorhabditis Elegans (a mutant worm) towards the next level on research purpose to find out why this mutant worm could not gain weight despite gorging loads of fatty food.
‘The case of Caenorhabditis Elegans was tested and tried in foreign countries but in India we are planning to carry out research activities to make such drugs, which will help people who are suffering from obesity. Obesity is a major problem among kids because of their inclination towards junk food. We are sure that this research will find some way out of this problem,’ a ministry sources said.
The committee for the purpose of control and supervision of experiments on animals (CPCSEA) is supervising the whole proposal and working on alternatives modalities to introduce such ideas in research and education, keeping in tune with the international developments.
On 15 October, India became the first cruelty-free cosmetics zone in South Asia by announcing ban on animal tested beauty products. The ban comes in the form of Rule 135-B that states that no cosmetic that has been tested on animals after the commencement of Drugs and Cosmetics (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2014 shall be imported into the country. The notification will come into effect on 13 November.
It was learnt that ministry is going to discuss whether Zebra, Fishes, Drosophila (insect) and Caenorhabditis Elegans (a mutant worm), which are less sentient and emotional, can be used in such tests or not. Also, apart from live demonstration of drugs on these creatures, the ministry is also planning to promote use of 3D cultures in manufacturing drug and cosmetics.
Interestingly, the environment ministry along with the ministry of health and private drug manufacturers is planning to take the case of Caenorhabditis Elegans (a mutant worm) towards the next level on research purpose to find out why this mutant worm could not gain weight despite gorging loads of fatty food.
‘The case of Caenorhabditis Elegans was tested and tried in foreign countries but in India we are planning to carry out research activities to make such drugs, which will help people who are suffering from obesity. Obesity is a major problem among kids because of their inclination towards junk food. We are sure that this research will find some way out of this problem,’ a ministry sources said.
The committee for the purpose of control and supervision of experiments on animals (CPCSEA) is supervising the whole proposal and working on alternatives modalities to introduce such ideas in research and education, keeping in tune with the international developments.
On 15 October, India became the first cruelty-free cosmetics zone in South Asia by announcing ban on animal tested beauty products. The ban comes in the form of Rule 135-B that states that no cosmetic that has been tested on animals after the commencement of Drugs and Cosmetics (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2014 shall be imported into the country. The notification will come into effect on 13 November.
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