Updated 24 July 2002, 16.48

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Over 2.5 million animals from mice to cats were used in the testing of products like medicines last year.

And one in four of them were genetically modified.

			Fact File
	Animals used in testing
		1,655,766 mice
		110,330 hens
		47,387 guinea pigs
		23,565 rabbits
		10,664 sheep
		5,460 beagles
		3,342 monkeys
		2,910 cattle
		731 cats
		649 horses

The UK has some of the strictest animal protection laws to stop cruelty during experiments.

But the House of Lords has been looking into regulations controlling testing for over a year.

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Experts say experiments on animals are needed to find cures for devastating diseases.

But campaigners say too many animals are being used unnecessarily and scientists aren't looking for alternatives to testing on animals.

Testing types

As well as medicines, animals are used to test out cleaning products, pesticides, food additives and other chemicals. But testing cosmetics on animals was banned in the UK in 1997.

Many of the experiments involve brain injections and skin irritation tests.

Scientists are now being asked to continue to look for alternative ways of testing products.

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