National Antivisection Society
Report of meeting on National Centre for the Replacement of Animal Experiments
There is continuing public concern about animal experiments and support for alternatives, and this makes the UK an ideal location for a National Centre to replace animals in research, irrespective of the motivation (animal welfare, relevance to humans, scientific superiority, speed and economics). Faster development of non-animal methods can improve progress in medical research.
Hurdles to be overcome include inertia in the scientific community, a lack of government leadership in this field, and lack of funding.
Alternatives to animal experiments are not a threat but an opportunity to develop new and better scientific tools, to access human data and to give animals the respect they deserve.
A UK-based centre would not preclude a European centre, as European legislation requires all nations to encourage research to develop alternatives to animals. There are already many models to study of centres that focus on a particular area of research. The concept of a national centre focusing on a particular area of research is not new - only its application to non-animal research – and there are many models to study.
In summary, the meeting considered that a National Centre to replace animal experiments could have the following functions:
- give scientists a wider range of options to choose from;
- conduct horizon-scanning, to identify upcoming methods which could be applied to replacement;
- give a status to scientists who are developing replacement methods, and attract other mainstream scientists to do so;
- develop a new research culture so that the scientific community is on the alert to maximise opportunities and is more open to humane approaches;
- develop dialogue and collaborations with a range of expertise;
- promote new expertise (e.g. how to handle and use human tissue, which has different requirements to animal tissue);
- integrate human studies with cellular and molecular approaches, essential for replacing whole animal research;
- develop a national strategy for replacement and provide funds to develop new methods, especially pump-priming funds;
- help train scientists with skills in more than one discipline (e.g. mathematics and clinical skills for imaging studies), and support young scientists interested in non-animal methods;
- strengthen funding partnerships between government, charities and industry; and provide guidance on how non-animal methods can be integrated into research and testing.
The meeting aired a number of issues and helped tease out a range of views. Taking these into account, there was considerable support for a centre of the kind envisaged in the proposal by the Dr Hadwen Trust and Lord Dowding Fund.
Click here to read a complete report of the meeting
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