Italian law ‘too harsh’ on animal research

Research organisations in Italy have called on European Commission to reassess the country’s implementation of an EU law on the use of animals for scientific purposes.

Over 60 private and publicly funded Italian organisations, which include the University of Milan, the University of Cagliari and the Institute of Biomedical Research, addressed their concerns to the Commission in a letter on 5 February.

The letter argues that a 2010 EU directive, intended to abolish disparities between member states on the use of animals for scientific purposes, has been implemented too harshly in Italian law. The organisations criticise a 2014 Italian legislative decree that prohibits the use of animals for research involving organ xenotransplantations or substances of abuse, and prohibits the use of animals as part of research undertaken in university courses, except by physicians and vets.