Pharmeceutical companies could soon have easier access to synthetic alternatives to horseshoe crab blood, a key ingredient used to test vaccines and medical devices for contamination.
The U.S. Pharmacopeia, the regulatory body in charge of setting national safety standards, announced a proposal on Aug. 22 that would make it simpler for companies to use the alternatives. The new standard, which is expected to take effect in early 2024, is one of several changes enacted since NPR reported in June on the lack of oversight in the horseshoe crab blood harvest on the east coast, including in areas where the crabs' eggs are considered an important food source for rare birds.
