Every year, 100,000 mice suffer in Europe for Botox quality testing, despite non-animal alternatives being available for over a decade. Doctors Against Animal Experiments (DAAE) and the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE) have launched a campaign to urge European regulators to ban animal testing for Botox products. The toxic tests involve injecting mice with botulinum neurotoxin, causing muscle paralysis, breathing difficulties, and ultimately death.

Despite successful human cell-based testing methods developed since 2011, the outdated mouse test remains in the European Pharmacopoeia, prompting some manufacturers to still use animal testing. DAAE and ECEAE are calling for the removal of the mouse-based Botox test from the European Pharmacopoeia and mandatory public reporting of all animal testing data until these procedures are completely abolished. The campaign aims to end the cruelty of animal testing for aesthetic purposes and transition to more humane and scientifically valid alternatives.