The Physiological Society welcomes the Government’s generally balanced approach to regulating the use of animals in research, as outlined in their response to the public consultation on the transposition of EU directive 2010/63/EU.
Philip Wright, Chief Executive, said: “We share the Home Office’s commitment to the 3R’s in animal research – replacement, refinement and reduction – and agree that unnecessary bureaucracy does not help improve animal welfare, nor our scientific understanding of how the body works, nor the animals and humans that basic research ultimately helps.
“The Society solidly supports moves to optimise the welfare of animals used in research, particularly through the 3R’s. It therefore fully endorses the aim of the EU Directive to raise standards, bringing the rest of Europe into line with the high standards already maintained in the UK. It is nonetheless critical for the UK’s research base that the proposal to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy is implemented effectively.
“Much physiological research does not require the use of animals, but in some instances animal research is a crucial step, providing the link between genes and whole organisms, which is essential to developing new treatments for the diseases that can affect all of us.”
The Physiological Society has and continues to work actively with the UK’s National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research to develop and implement new techniques that serve both science and animal welfare.
ENDS