BBC Inside Science Could technology replace animal testing in science?
Nov 13, 2025
Dr. Chris Powell, a director at Cambridge BioPharma Consultants, discusses the potential to replace animal testing in drug development with innovative technologies. Dr. Matthias Huss, a glaciologist, reveals that Swiss glaciers have lost 25% of their ice over the past decade and shares his efforts to preserve a piece of glacier history in his freezer. Science journalist Roland Pease dives into the discovery of stellar coronal mass ejections and their implications for exoplanet habitability, showcasing the fascinating interplay of technology and nature.
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Human-Tissue Technologies Are Closing The Gap
- Organoids and organs-on-chips can recapitulate human tissue structure and function for testing drugs.
- Computational models and AI are increasingly integrated to model drug movement and effects in vitro.
Whole-Animal Studies Still Reveal Complex Effects
- Animal tests remain used in early drug discovery and development to detect complex biological effects.
- Some effects still require whole-animal studies because current non-animal methods cannot replicate full-system responses.
Use Validated Organoids To Reduce Animal Tests
- Adopt organoid and retinal organoid methods where validated to reduce animal use in eye-disease testing.
- Use donated human cells and commercialised organoid platforms to assess toxicity and efficacy in vitro.