29 August 2007
Review of replacing animal experiments
A recent paper in BioEssays describes the opportunities currently available to explore non-animal based techniques, a great many of which are already used by a number of bioindustries. The authors point out that university research groups seem to be slow in embracing new non-animal approaches to problems in the biosciences [1]. Animal experiments conducted by industry in Britain have fallen significantly over several years, but those carried out by universities and medical schools have risen by 52% in the last decade.
A number of studies quoted by the authors indicate that whilst the concept of non-animal replacements seems less well accepted in academia, there are nevertheless many instances where animal procedures have been replaced in biomedical areas such as dentistry, neurosciences, pain and respiratory medicine. The lead author is the Trust’s Science Director Dr Gill Langley and she is joined by leading researchers Professors Tom Evans, Stephen Holgate and Anthony Jones who provide examples of novel ways of exploring problems within their own specialities.
The paper suggests that systematic reviews of the transferability of animal data to the clinical setting may prompt a fresh look for novel methods which eschew the use of experimental animals. The use of mainstream funding for this search will increase the availability and take-up of non-animal methods by researchers in the academic community.
Reference
1. Langley G, Evans T, Holgate ST and Jones A (2007). Replacing animal experiments: Choices, chances and challenges. BioEssays 29:918-926.
For a full copy of the article contact: info@drhadwentrust.org or the paper may be purchased from www.interscience.wiley.com