EU’s Joint Research Centre hails progress in replacing, reducing and refining use of laboratory animals
Researchers are making significant progress in replacing, reducing and refining their use of animals in their work, according to a new report.
The EU has a goal to completely phase out its use of animals in research, but the European Commission reaffirmed last year in response to a petition from animal rights activists that it intends this to happen gradually as alternatives become available.
“The scientific community is making important strides in developing non-animal testing methods, driven by funding from the EU and collaborative research efforts,” said the report, published on 12 March by the Joint Research Centre, which is the Commission’s evidence service.
JRC lab leadership
The JRC said its own EU reference laboratory for alternatives to animal testing, ECVAM, “is at the forefront of these developments, providing valuable guidance, standardisation strategies, and support in promoting methods ready for regulatory acceptance”.
Highlights of such work in 2023, according to the JRC, included ECVAM conducting its largest-ever validation study into 18 in-vitro (equipment-based) methods to identify chemicals that can disrupt hormone systems in people and animals.
“Making such a battery of tests available will not only avoid the use of animals but will also fill protection gaps related to [hormone] disrupting chemicals,” the JRC said. The tests have been sent to the OECD for consideration for inclusion in international guidelines, it said.
ECVAM is also “heavily involved” in an EU-funded collaboration across three projects to develop a “blueprint” for chemical safety assessment that makes no use of animals, according to the JRC. It said this ASPIS initiative involves more than 70 scientific organisations across the EU, UK and US.
Another element of its work the JRC highlighted was its provision of education resources on replacement, reduction and refinement to universities and schools. These include a virtual reality simulation that challenges students to conduct their own simulated experiments.
“ECVAM has made significant steps in promoting alternatives to animal testing in both research and education,” the JRC said. “By developing resources, conducting reviews, and engaging with scientific and educational communities, ECVAM is contributing to a shift towards more humane and relevant scientific methodologies.”