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The number of tests carried out on animals has halved in the last 30 years. In 2001, 2.5 million animals were used for scientific tests
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Under British law, every new medicine must be tested on at least two different types of animal. This is done to make sure that the drug doesn't harm humans
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Without animal testing modern medicines wouldn't have developed the way they have
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Other products that are tested on animals include paint, cleaning products, pesticides and chemicals used in industry. Testing cosmetics on animals is illegal in Britain
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Testers are not allowed to be cruel to animals, but testing does cause stress and pain to the animals
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There are alternatives to animal testing. Sometimes it is possible to take samples of human tissue and test them in laboratories and computer programmes are being developed that can predict results
Animal rights activists
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Some people think that animal testing is wrong, and campaign against it. Most do this in a legal way through protests
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Some people who think that animal testing is so wrong they are prepared to break the law to protest against it, and even harm other human beings
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In the past, animal rights activists have used violence against scientists involved in testing on animals
