A win for animals – Phasing out the rabbit pyrogen test

The EDQM is committed to improving animal welfare in the context of scientific experiments and testing. The rabbit pyrogen test (RPT), a standard safety test designed to determine the presence of certain fever-inducing contaminants called pyrogens in medicines, was added to the European Pharmacopoeia in the 1970s. Today, it is estimated that some 400 000 rabbits are used worldwide each year to perform this test. Viable alternatives exist, however, and the EDQM has been at the forefront of efforts to promote their use. In June 2024, the RPT was definitively removed from the European Pharmacopoeia texts. How was this accomplished? Gwenaël Cirefice and Emmanuelle Charton from the European Pharmacopoeia Department explain how the EDQM’s commitment to animal welfare in Europe and beyond led to such an important milestone being achieved.

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