New alternative testing methods, which will reduce the need for testing certain drugs and chemicals on animals, were recently approved by a scientific committee.

The Scientific Advisory Committee of the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods approved six such methods that will not only reduce the number of animals used in labs, but also the costs of testing.

These tests have proved far more effective in finding contaminated drugs than previous animal tests. The tests use cell cultures rather than animals to establish the toxicity of cancer drugs and identify contaminated drugs.

One of the tests is designed to help determine the dosage of some toxic drugs used for cancer. Five of the other tests address the issue of bacteria.