ABSTRACT
Alternatives to animal testing entail the three R’s of refinement, reduction, and replacement. Refinement is defined as the acquisition of maximal data from each animal in the experimental set, minimizing or eliminating pain and discomfort. This chapter is a case study on the application of these principles to the pharmacological and toxicological assessment of cyanide. By refining the techniques to obtain maximal data from each animal in a noninvasive manner, a rational approach to developing appropriate antidotes is described in which the number of animals is reduced from what would have been required in the classical study design.
