It is totally obvious that some products aren’t vegan. Think meat, dairy, and eggs. These are straightforward to eliminate from your life. But actually, non-vegan products are all around us! Some of the most inconspicuous products contain non-vegan ingredients, while others are tested on animals. A major example of this is medicines - either because of excipients or animal testing.
Excipients, secondary ingredients like binders, colours, etc, may be animal-based, like some of the following:
Cochineal (the red dye from crushed insects)
Lanolin (an oily residue sourced from sheep-wool)
Magnesium stearate (from beef fat)
Gelatin (sourced from the collagen of animals such as cows and pigs); and
Lactose (found in the milk of mammals such as cows, goats, and sheep).
Animal testing is a huge issue for vegans especially as all pharmaceuticals tested on animals before undergoing clinical trials on humans. (This is what has made the Covid-19 vaccine a topic of much debate in the vegan community.)
Advancements in science and medicine have found some innovative ways to evaluate efficiency and safety without testing on animals. For example, testing on donated human tissue, lab-grown cells, and using computer models. Hopefully, these alternative methods will become more widely used and eventually overtake animal-testing as standard procedure.
Until then, most of us will find ourselves in situations where we have to take medications that have been tested on animals or may include animal-based excipients.
There are several steps you can take to manage this conundrum.
First, make your voice heard! There are anti-animal testing movements in most countries and they are pushing the cause forward every day.
Second, be aware of what excipients are used in medications and, where possible, opt for alternatives that don't contain any animal-based ingredients. Usually, a quick google search will tell you, but if you can’t get the information from a directory or the company’s website, don’t hesitate to call their hotline to ask them directly.
Third, write to your local member about your concerns, and voice support for legislation when it is drafted.
Finally, be kind to yourself. We live in a society that is majorly non-vegan, and we will inevitably be faced with situations where our health, or even our lives, require making a saddening compromise. Don’t use your energy beating yourself up over this. Instead, focus on fighting for animal-rights and welfare so future generations don’t have to compromise their values!
- Skye (@skye.ashton)
