• UK Labour Government vows to replace animal tests with safe and effective alternative methods wherever possible
• Strategy developed by government with life sciences specialists, the life sciences industry and animal welfare organisations, delivering on Labour’s manifesto commitment
• New £75m funding will help bring forward new testing methods for products that can save lives and make path to regulation clearer for researchers
Confirmation that plans to phase out animal testing have been published by the UK Labour Government has been welcomed by Llanelli MP, Dame Nia Griffith, a longstanding campaigner on the issue.
Dame Nia has received hundreds of emails and letters from constituents about animal testing since the election and has been pressing ministers in the UK Labour government for action on these concerns who today announced their plan to accelerate the development and adoption of safe and effective alternative methods.
This will speed up the phasing-out of animal testing in all but exceptional circumstances, delivering on the pledge made in Labour’s manifesto at the last election.
The comprehensive roadmap backs researchers to seize on new and developing opportunities to replace certain animal tests, which are currently still used to determine the safety of products like life-saving vaccines and the impact chemicals like pesticides can have on living beings and the environment.
The new strategy recognises that phasing out the use of animals in science can only happen where reliable and effective alternative methods, with the same level of safety for human exposure, can replace them.
The plan sets out specific commitments for the coming years, marking it out as one of the most detailed of its kind in the world and opening up new opportunities for the UK to lead on unearthing alternatives to phase out animal tests while growing our economy.
This includes an end to regulatory testing on animals to assess the potential for new treatments to cause skin and eye irritation and skin sensitisation by the end of 2026. By 2027 researchers are expected to end tests of the strength of botox on mice and to use only DNA-based lab methods for adventitious agent testing of human medicines – the process for detecting viruses or bacteria that might accidentally contaminate medicines. By the end of 2030 it will also reduce pharmacokinetic studies – which track how a drug moves through the body over time – on dogs and non-human primates.
Dame Nia Griffith MP said:
“I am delighted that the government has listened and is taking strong action to phase out animal testing.
“This is something that was of great concern to so many local people in my constituency who I am sure will be looking forward to us achieving our aim to establish the UK as a world leader in developing and adopting alternatives to animal testing.
“The new strategy will make a huge difference in speeding up our move from animal testing to safe and effective alternatives. Not only will Labour’s plan protect animals, it will ensure we continue to innovate and develop life-saving products and growing the economy.”
Developed by government with close consultation from life sciences experts, businesses and animal welfare organisations, the plan will deliver on the Labour Government’s manifesto commitment to improve animal welfare by partnering with scientists, industry, and civil society to phase out of animal testing.
Backed by £75m of funding, including money for a hub that will bring together data, technology and expertise to promote collaboration between researchers and a separate new centre to make the path to regulatory approval for new alternatives as straightforward as possible.
Alongside the new plan, £15.9m has been committed by the Medical Research Council (MRC), Innovate UK and the Wellcome Trust to advance promising ‘human in vitro models’. This includes organ-on-a-chip systems so researchers can test how drugs affect people without using animals, while also unearthing results more relevant to humans. Five teams across the UK will focus on models to replicate the human liver, brain, cancer, pain and blood vessels.