Animal Testing
In animal testing, drug companies make every effort to use as few
animals as possible and to ensure their humane and proper care.
Generally, two or more species (one rodent, one non-rodent) are
tested because a drug may affect one species differently from
another. Animal testing is used to measure how much of a drug is
absorbed into the blood, how it is broken down chemically in the
body, the toxicity of the drug and its breakdown products
(metabolites), and how quickly the drug and its metabolites are
excreted from the body.