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EU plans to save animals from research
A six-step alternative to using animals in scientific research was outlined at a conference in Brussels today, which the European Commission for Research claims could save the lives of up to 200,000 rabbits a day.
The technique involves using human blood cells instead of rabbits in human immunology experiments.
"The use of animals to test drugs is unfortunately necessary to safeguard human health," said European research commissioner Philippe Busquin.
"But we can reduce, replace and refine animal testing, with EU-sponsored research leading the way at world level. The EU's validation of these new testing methods will encourage their broad take-up by industry, ensure drug safety and quality, and reduce the use of animal research. This is an example of the European research area in action, developing an environment in which scientific results can be rapidly exploited and transformed into products and processes that improve quality of life, increase competitiveness and benefit animal welfare."
Reducing, replacing and refining are the three tenets of the EU's programme of reducing animal research.
Under EU law, animal experimentation cannot be carried out if a validated alternative is available. But the new test has to be individually vetted for every application to make sure it is useful.
The commissioner added that the new tests were less laborious, cheaper and more sensitive than testing on rabbits, and could end the need for testing on the animal altogether.
The new forms of testing have been developed through EU-funded research and are already in use in more than 200 laboratories around the world.