[The animal experiment in toxicology. Current situation and further development]

In view of recent public reproaches against medical animal experimentation this article describes the present status of animal experimentation in the field of toxicology. Possible perspectives and the limitations of "alternative" methods are reviewed. Toxicological methods which are based on cell culture and metabolic in vitro-systems, as well as "short-term-tests" for mutagenicity and/or carcinogenicity are invaluable for screening purposes. However, a risk assessment, i.e., evaluation of hazard of chemical compounds to man, must be based on animal experiments. Further efforts must be directed towards improvement of extrapolation of toxicological results from one species to the other.