Latest Statistics
Every year the UK Home Office releases the latest statistics of scientific procedures on animals. These are the latest figures.
These alternative methods are generally human-based but some use historic data from animal research or use animal tissue. Whilst these animal-based methods may remove the need for further use of laboratory animals they are not going to be as valid as those based on human biology.
There are growing numbers of alternative research and testing methods available, including, but not limited to:
In all these alternative areas new techniques are continually being developed and modified. However, for testing the safety of drug and chemicals in particular, it is currently not possible to replace a particular animal test with one ‘alternative’. A combination of in vitro and in silico techniques may be needed to provide the required safety data. Alternative approaches to animal use, particularly when used in combination at appropriate phases of drug discovery and/or toxicity testing, can provide better predictions of human adverse outcomes as they are more human-relevant.
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