Swiss vote on banning animal testing.

[Catherine]

Switzerland is holding a vote on the banning of animal testing. Animal rights groups have gained enough support to force a referendum. Switzerland uses more than 550,000 lab animals each year. The pharmaceutical industry is very big in the country. They claim that they cannot manage to do research or develop new drugs without animal testing. They claim they would have to relocate to other countries. The ban is not expected to pass, although we can hope. The vote itself has brought the issue to the public eye.

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/scienc...022-02-10/

It would be amazing if it passed. Just being able to force such a vote is a big step. 
Many industries that use animals in tests are very much unwilling to consider change. Animal tests have been shown to be unreliable. There are alternatives.
Still the pharmaceutical industry will not consider anything else, but animal testing. 

Maybe the only way to change the industry is to have new companies produce medications and treatments that are labeled as not tested on animals. 
That is what is happening with personal care products. Many of us would not buy a shampoo that did not have a not tested on animals label. Would I specifically choose to buy a vitamin that was labeled as not tested on animals?  Yes. Even if it cost me more. Yes. 
If we want to change the drug industry we need to do it by our shopping habits. If they were losing money, I think they would change.