12 June 2007
We received a petition asking:
"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to demonstrate a commitment to replacing animal experiments with more ethical and scientifically relevant non-animal research techniques, by committing to and publishing a targeted timetable for total replacement."
Details of petition:
"Non-animal research techniques are not only more ethical than animal experiments, they can also offer greater scientific relevance, repeatability and accuracy. In addition they are often faster and cheaper to perform. The government claims that replacing animal experiments is the end goal and yet lobbyists know this is unlikely to happen with any urgency without an explicit and targeted government timetable."
Read the Government’s response
The Government’s policy on the use of animals in scientific procedures is clear and straightforward. We believe that there is still a need for the responsible use of animals for experimental and other scientific purposes to continue if improvements in healthcare are to be developed with the minimum of delay, and to make proper provision to protect man and the environment from other hazards.
Whilst much important research and testing continues to be dependent on the use of animals the Government is also committed to funding and encouraging the development of alternatives to animal-based tests and to their early adoption.
The National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) was announced in May 2004 and is an independent scientific organisation which provides a UK focus for the advancement of the 3Rs. Working with stakeholders in academia, industry, Government, research funders, regulatory authorities, and animal welfare organisations the Centre aims to increase the development and implementation of the 3Rs in medical, biological and veterinary research and testing.
In our view, it is unrealistic, and would raise false hopes, to set a date by which it will be feasible to phase out animal use before scientific progress provides the means to do so. We would all like to see a time when medical progress is not dependent on the use of animals, but the fact remains that animals will be needed for research for the foreseeable future if we are to continue to develop life-saving medicines.