17 August 2011 Last updated at 11:56

Animal Testing

• Why does it happen?
• Does it work?
• Are animals hurt?
• Alternatives

British law says that any new drug used for medicine must be tested on at least two different types of live mammal. One of these must be a large non-rodent type animal.

This is to make sure the drug works and doesn't hurt you.

Animal testing has also sometimes been used for developing:

• Household products
• Agricultural chemicals
• Industrial chemicals
• Pesticides
• Paint
• Food additives

In some countries animals are also used to test beauty products. But this is not allowed in Britain any more.