Australia and New Zealand

Abstract

Animal-based toxicology is only conducted on a small scale in Australia and New Zealand. Initiatives to develop alternatives to animal tests have arisen most often in the economically important agriculture sector, and in environmental monitoring. Stringent controls restricting the use of the Draize and LD50 tests emerged as far back as 1985. While the animal testing of cosmetics is banned in New Zealand, and a similar ban is expected soon in Australia, these moves are considered to be largely symbolic because there is virtually no history of such testing in either country. A 1989 Australian Senate report recommended the establishment of a government fund for research into alternatives, but no such entity yet exists in Australia or New Zealand. Progress in New Zealand may be facilitated in some areas because regulatory control lies within a single layer of government, whereas in Australia, state boundaries can be an impediment.