Exposure to chemicals may have immediate (acute) or long-term (chronic) consequences. Chemicals may cause skin or eye irritation or severe allergic reactions. Carefully controlled studies in laboratory animals—most often rats and mice—are conducted to ensure a product’s safety before it reaches a store’s shelves.

Acute Toxicity Tests. These tests measure the immediate consequences of chemical exposure, so regulators, emergency personnel, and poison control centers have all the information they need if someone or something is exposed to a potentially hazardous product. Only a small number of animals are used for these tests.

Skin and Eye Irritancy Tests (Draize). These tests are necessary to establish the safety of products that may come in contact with the eye or skin. We need to know that medications or cosmetics can be applied safely without adverse effects. Household cleaners should have warning labels if they could be accidentally splashed in the eye or on the skin.

Subchronic or Chronic Toxicity Tests. These tests measure the consequences of long-term exposure to a product. If repeated use of a product is anticipated, tests must be done to see what the consequences of that use may be. The tests involve exposure of animals, usually rodents, to the product. Birth defects, genetic toxicity, or cancer potential are best determined through the use of controlled studies in animals. Non-animal methods are also used, but there is not a reliable non-animal replacement for assessing dangers in birth defects or cancer potential.

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