 Over the past few years, the use of Botox to “erase” wrinkles has steadily grown in popularity. In 2010, over 1 million Botox treatments were conducted in the UK.1 From TV programs like “10 years younger” to glossy magazines, Botox is being promoted as a quick-fix face-lift.
Yet this quick-fix carries a very heavy price tag ... - Every batch of botulinum toxin, the key constituent of botox is tested for potency on 100 mice, using the LD50 test.
- The toxin is injected into the abdomens of mice, to determine the amount of toxin that kills half of a given test group of mice (the LD50 test), this can take up to 3-4 days.
- This continues despite the UK and EU ban on the testing of cosmetic products on animals and despite the LD50 test no longer being used for testing cosmetic products.
- FRAME has reported a notable increase in the use of the LD50 test.2 50% of the botulinum toxin produced is destined for cosmetic procedures, and this is the probable cause for the rise in LD50 tests.
Testing Botox destined for cosmetic purposes on animals is in direct contradiction to the UK and EU legislation banning the use of animals to test cosmetic products or ingredients. |