Beautifying Botox® by Cutting Animal Testing
Calvert dialogue helps influence a major pharmaceutical company to achieve a 78% reduction in animal testing for Botox® safety testing
2/12/2010
Not many consumers know that the muscle relaxant Botox® is tested on animals as part of its standard production. Each batch relies on the “Lethal Dose 50 Percent” (LD50) test to verify potency. According to the Humane Society of the United States, this LD50 test involves injecting groups of mice with different strengths of the product to determine the amount that kills half of the animals. Animals die from slow suffocation and paralysis, and are euthanized by the fourth day.
Calvert co-filed a shareholder resolution with the Humane Society for the past three years, asking Allergan to provide annual updates describing the Company’s recent activities and future plans to eliminate the LD50 test from the manufacturing process of Botox® and Botox® Cosmetic. As an investor, Calvert understood that testing is required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but wanted assurance that the company was doing everything that it could to find alternatives to animal testing.
In January 2010, Allergan provided an update on animal testing on its website, stating that it had reduced animal use in its testing protocol by 78%. Although Calvert would prefer that the product not rely on any animal testing, we believe that this level of reduction signals a serious commitment to eliminating animal tests for Botox® in the future, as Allergan states on its website. Calvert will continue to monitor Allergan’s disclosure on animal testing, and promote alternatives to Botox® and Botox® Cosmetic testing wherever possible.
Calvert Asset Management Company, Inc., 4550 Montgomery Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814.
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