Coastal biomedical labs are bleeding more horseshoe crabs with little accountability

Coastal biomedical labs are bleeding more horseshoe crabs with little accountability, despite the availability of synthetic alternatives.

Horseshoe crab blood: The blue blood of horseshoe crabs is used to detect bacterial toxins in vaccines, drugs, and medical devices, with over 700,000 crabs bled in 2021 by five companies along the East Coast.
* A synthetic alternative has been approved in Europe but not in the U.S., where the blood harvest continues to grow.

Conservation concerns: The increasing blood harvest has led to the depletion of horseshoe crabs along the Atlantic coast and a 94% decline in red knot bird populations, which depend on horseshoe crab eggs for energy during migration.
* Limited regulation and secrecy within the industry have raised concerns about the welfare of the crabs and the long-term impact on their populations and the ecosystem.

Waiting for alternatives: Though synthetic alternatives have been successfully adopted by some pharmaceutical companies, the US Pharmacopeia has not yet approved them as equivalent, stalling widespread adoption and leaving horseshoe crabs at risk.

View original article on NPR

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