Positive reception for our work at one of the largest science conferences in the U.S.
Our Replace Animal Tests (RAT) List was presented at the Society of Toxicology 2026 annual meeting – one of the largest science conferences in the U.S.
Our Deputy Director of Science and Regulatory Affairs, Dr Laura Alvarez, joined thousands of toxicologists, researchers and policymakers at the event in San Diego, California. As a newly appointed Associate Member of SOT, Laura was able to strengthen our ties to the North American scientific community.
She presented a poster on our Replace Animal Tests (RAT) List, which highlights well-established animal tests that continue to be used despite valid non-animal approaches already being available. The poster generated lots of interest and positive discussion.
With strategies and roadmaps to end animal testing emerging around the world, many attendees agreed that the RAT List is a valuable and timely tool for identifying where progress can be made quickly to spare millions of animals. Even at an event attended by many scientists who still use animals in their research and testing, there was broad recognition that these tests represent a strong starting point for change.
The RAT List also provided a natural opportunity to highlight the importance of the Replace Act in the United States. Unlike Europe, where there is a legal requirement to avoid animal testing whenever a scientifically valid non-animal method exists, the U.S. currently has no equivalent law. The Replace Act would change that, and attendees were receptive to the case for this important legislation.
The conference reflected the growing momentum behind non-animal approaches, with a wide range of presentations and an exhibition hall where companies showcased their latest technologies. Non-animal approaches were prominently represented, including organ-on-chip models, computational toxicology, and advanced in vitro systems. Dedicated sessions on policy and advocacy recognized that scientific progress must be matched by regulatory and legislative action.
We also shared details of an upcoming workshop co-hosted by Cruelty Free International and the Toxicology Policy Program at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which will examine whether the long-standing requirement to test new pharmaceuticals in two animal species is scientifically justified. We were pleased to see the interest it generated among attendees.
Laura said: “It was encouraging to see how receptive the Society of Toxicology community was to our RAT List work. Even in a room full of scientists who still routinely use animals, there was real engagement with the idea that the tests highlighted in the RAT List should be replaced, and a shared sense that we have the tools, knowledge, and will to overcome the remaining barriers to full replacement.
It was exciting to see dedicated sessions on policy and advocacy at the conference for the first time too, reflecting a growing recognition that scientific progress alone is not enough, and that regulatory and legislative action must also follow. As a newly appointed Associate Member of SOT, I look forward to continuing to engage with this community and playing a part in driving that change.”
