Image by Samuel F. Johanns from Pixabay

From Humane Society International – Canada

In June of 2023, with the support of HSI/Canada, other animal protection groups, and industry, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act was revised, requiring the publication of a strategy with set timelines to phase-out the use of animals for safety assessment of chemicals.

The government followed through on its mandate and published a draft strategy to replace, reduce, or refine vertebrate animal testing for public comment. The draft strategy commits to identify and prioritize “new approach methods” for regulatory needs, advance research and data generation, and harmonize, collaborate and communicate with other governments and stakeholders toward replacing vertebrate testing.

Urge the government to follow our recommendations to accelerate the phase-out of animal testing.Use the button at the bottom of this post to send the following letter:

Dear Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate,

I am writing to support the Canadian Government’s draft strategy to replace, reduce or refine vertebrate animal testing published in September 2024, which commits to identify and prioritize nonanimal “new approach methods” for regulatory needs, advance research and data generation, and harmonize, collaborate and communicate with other governments and stakeholders toward replacing vertebrate testing.

While I largely support the draft strategy as currently written, I would like to make the following recommendations to strengthen the government’s roadmap:

1. Formally recognize “Next Generation Risk Assessment” as the foundation for a new animal-free paradigm in safety assessment.
2. Provide an ambitious timeline for identifying animal tests that are currently replaceable through scientific substantiation and ready for immediate regulatory uptake.
3. Incorporate a roadmap with stated goals and timelines for the phase-out of animal tests that are not currently replaceable. Publish an annual progress report on these objectives to improve transparency and accountability.
4. Commit sizeable funding and resourcing to the implementation of the draft strategy and toward the development, standardization and incorporation of new approach methods with the goal of replacing all vertebrate toxicity testing by 2035.
5. Adapt and implement this strategy, in parallel across all relevant federal regulatory programs, including pesticides, foods, natural health and therapeutic products. With the rapid advancement of new approach methods that are faster and more relevant to human biology, Canada has the opportunity to become a leader on the global stage in ending outdated animal testing.

I, again, urge the Canadian government to safeguard the welfare of animals, while championing human and environmental safety, by committing sizeable funds and resources toward ending all vertebrate toxicity testing over the next decade.