Toxicity testing aims to evaluate what harm may be caused by
exposure to chemicals, including medicines, industrial and
consumer products, and food additives, to humans and the
environment. Currently; however, toxicity testing is usually
performed on animals, including rabbits, rats, mice, dogs, cats,
primates, hamsters, and even fish. Tests are performed by
exposing animals to very high doses of chemicals—often at levels
100 to 1,000 times higher than humans would typically be exposed
to. Some tests are required by agencies like the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) before a company can market a product,
such as pesticide chemicals. Generally, the United States does
not require tests on cosmetics or household products—with the
exception of antibacterial cleaning products, which must be
tested. Toxicity testing can vary in duration from four hours to
several days or months to animals’ entire life spans. The
animals are observed for toxic effects, including vomiting,
diarrhea, convulsions, respiratory dist