6% more UK animal experiments in 2007
This article was originally published in Scrip
3.2 million scientific procedures using animals were carried out in the UK in 2007, an increase of 189,500 over the previous year.
The annual report, Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals –Great Britain– 2007, points out that non-toxicological procedures accounted for around 87% of the procedures carried out. These included fundamental research in human and veterinary medicine to improve the understanding of disease mechanisms and therapeutic options, and the development of vaccines.
Most toxicological studies (78%) were to test the efficacy and safety of new drugs, and the majority of all procedures (87%) were performed to carry out legal or statutory requirements.
The report also revealed that experiments using mice or rats made up 83% of the total procedures; those using fish accounted for 10% and those using birds 4%. Less than 1% of experiments were carried out using dogs, cats, horses and non-human primates.
The trend for using genetically modified animals has continued, Meg Hillier, undersecretary of state for the Home Office, pointed out, as it allows for a more precise and often less invasive study of disease mechanisms than was previously possible. She added that many animals are only used in breeding programmes and that just over a third of all procedures in 2007 (37%) were accounted for by breeding procedures for the production of mutant and genetically altered animals. Mice and fish were most often used in these procedures.
Inspections
During 2007 the Animals Inspectorate carried out 2,401 visits to places where animal testing was carried out, and provided advice on 2,618 personal licence applications, an additional report by the Home Office says.
The annual report was published following a recommendation by the House of Lords select committee on animals in scientific procedures in 2002 that more information should be made available about the work of the inspectorate.
The report explains the inspectorate's role in assessing and advising Home Office ministers and officials on applications for personal and project licences and for certificates or designation under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. It also includes details of the inspection system through which the inspectorate monitors whether licensed authorities are complying with the act.