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Introduction to animal research for life |
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Animal studies are a small but essential part of biomedical research which results in modern vaccines, treatments and cures for parients, both human and animal.
Today, Europe provides for the best standards of protection for laboratory animals in the world. The European Directive 86/609 on the protection of animals used in research is currently being reviewed to reflect scientific and technological developments that have taken place over the last 20 years.
This site was created to inform the Europeand debate and provide a brief overview of:
- where and why are animals used in biomedical research?
- what does a typical animal facility look like?
- what is the state of the art in relation to alternatives (the '3Rs': replacement, reducation and refinement of animal studies)?
This website, Animal Research for Life, will be regularly updated with real life examples of research outcomes, 3Rs measures and progress on the legislative debate.
This site is a collaborative project of the research-based pharmaceutical industry and partners from organisations promoting biomedical research.
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Overview |
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Every year, millions of patients across Europe benefit from modern healthcare. Thanks to research, we have access to the much needed vaccines, treatments and curew in a wide array of diseases and ailments. Although the part played by testing involving animals is relatively small, it remains vital for the development of new medicines.
The medicines we use today would not exist without the research into the development of diseases and without the necessary and complex testing processes. Similarly, new medicines for conditions for which no effective treatment exists, will not emerge without research and development. Some of this research involves testing on animals. From antibiotics and insulin to blood transfusion and treatment for cancer and HIV, virtually every medical achievement has depended on studies on animals. Most of these animals are mice, rats and other rodents.
Researches constantly undertake efforts to search for alternative testing methods and use 3Rs alternative methods as these become available for Replacement (replacing animal study bu non animal tests), Reduction (decreasing the number of animals in a study) or Refinement (reducing the distress of animals).
For both scientific and legal reasons, the use of animals in the discovery of medicines remains indispendable. European regulation on the use of animals and practices in research establishments developed across Europe, provide for the best protections standards in the world. Since animals remain indispensable to medical research for the foreseeable future, researchers are committed to playing their part in ensuring that this research is conducted under the best possible conditions. |
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