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Over 70 bioscience research institutions, charities and companies signed a concordat committing to openness about their research involving animals. A press briefing was held at the SMC to launch the concordat, and a timeline of major developments in the animal research debate in the UK published.
Lord Willis of Knaresborough, Chair of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), said:
“The Concordat is a major statement of intent by the whole of the medical research community that openness and transparency over the use of animals for scientific research is non-negotiable. For the 125 research charities who are members of the AMRC signing the Concordat sends out a very strong message to supporters and donors that animals must be treated with dignity and respect and only used when the NC3R protocols have been exhausted.”
Prof Jackie Hunter, BBSRC Chief Executive, said:
“Research using animals is vital for advancing medical and veterinary science for the benefit of humans and other animals. The research community needs to be open with the public about why, how and when animals are used in research and be prepared to listen to any concerns. I am pleased that BBSRC and institutions from across the UK bioscience community have signed the concordat and support the actions the research community will now be taking to fulfill these commitments.”
David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, said:
“I welcome the publication of this Concordat committing the UK life sciences sector to greater openness and transparency in the use of animals for scientific research. It also highlights the measures being taken to reduce such use. We need more pro-active public engagement on this important subject. I support the steps that these organisations from across the sector are taking to increase people’s understanding of why and how animals are used in scientific, medical and veterinary research.”
Dr Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust said:
“Almost all of the most important advances in medicine have relied on information gained from animal experiments, and this field of research remains critical to driving the improvements in human and animal health which our funding seeks to support. But like all research, animal experiments should proceed with the consent of society, and that requires openness about how and why they take place. The Wellcome Trust has long been committed to such openness, and we believe that the similar commitment given today by the Concordat’s signatories will help the informed dialogue between researchers and the wider public that is healthy for both science and society.”
Dr Mark Downs, Chief Executive of the Society of Biology, said:
“With this Concordat we want to ensure that people have up-to-date and correct information about the use of animals in research. This knowledge is fundamental to discussions about why animal research is carried out, how decisions are taken and what measures are in place to ensure the best outcomes. By developing and signing this Concordat, we are signalling our commitment to this communication.
Good science and good welfare must go together to gain the essential knowledge we need for medical advances and to save lives.”
Prof Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, said:
“Without the use of animals in research, we would have few of the modern medicines, antibiotics, vaccines and surgical techniques that we take for granted in both human and veterinary medicine. Indeed, some of the pioneering work for which Cambridge is best known and which has led to major improvements in people’s lives was only possible using animals, from the development of IVF techniques through to human monoclonal antibodies.
“We are proud of our work, which meets the highest standards of animal welfare, and always strive to reduce the number of animals used. But we recognise the need to talk openly and honestly about our research and why the use of animals is necessary. We know the public is broadly supportive of animal research, but if we are to maintain this level of support, our work must be conducted in an environment of openness and transparency.”
Louise Leong, Director of Research & Development Policy at the ABPI, said:
“The launch of the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research is a significant milestone which confirms a commitment from those sectors involved in animal research, including the pharmaceutical industry, to achieve greater openness and transparency on this important issue. Our commitment to the Concordat is recognition that our industry has a duty to demonstrate and promote our values and to be open, transparent and accountable for the research that we conduct, fund and support.
“If we are going to truly change the perception and public opinion on animal research we need to be able to show its benefits and to educate and inform the public about the necessity of our work, which the Concordat helps us to do. This includes the pharmaceutical industry’s role in the development of 90% of the medicines in the world, and the fact that, without vital research using animals, there are many diseases – such as epilepsy and diabetes – which could not be managed the way they are today.”
Dr Vicky Robinson, Chief Executive, NC3Rs, said:
“We are pleased to be a signatory of the Concordat and to support the commitment to greater openness about animal research by the scientific community. We have been championing openness and transparency in the reporting of animal research in the scientific literature for a number of years. The Concordat provides the opportunity to complement this by ensuring that balanced information on animal research is made available to the media and the wider public.”
Prof Michael Arthur, President & Provost, UCL, said:
“UCL is a world-leading medical research institution and animal research forms a small but vital part of our work. It is important that we talk about this clearly and openly so that everyone can see what animal research at UCL involves, how it advances our wider research goals and how we are working to reduce, replace and refine our use of animals where possible.
We are committed to a policy of openness at UCL and would be delighted to formalise this by signing the Concordat. We are currently developing a number of initiatives to open up animal research at UCL and increase public engagement in this area, all of which align with the objectives of the Concordat.”
Lilly said:
“In the UK, Lilly specialises in neuroscience research. Our work with animals, conducted under stringent standards and in line with the 3Rs, is essential to furthering our understanding of several diseases including Alzheimer’s disease. We are proud to sign this Concordat today and welcome the move towards greater openness about the critical role animal research has in helping us discover medicines that allow people to live longer, healthier and more active lives.”
Professor Karen Chapman, chair of the Society for Endocrinology Science Committee & Dr Kevin Murphy, co-opted member of the Science Committee and member of the Animal Sciences Group of the Society of Biology, say:
“The use of animals in research is critical to understanding normal physiology, determining what it is that goes wrong in disease, and designing new therapies for these diseases. The concordat is an important commitment to being open and pro-active in our discussion of animal research. Such an approach is crucial to retain public trust and to ensure such studies are carried out to the highest standards. It’s important that the Society for Endocrinology supports the principles of the concordat, to support the value of animal research in underpinning our understanding of physiology and pathophysiology.”
Steve Bates, Chief Executive Officer, BioIndustry Association, said:
“Animal research is an underpinning and essential part of developing life-saving and life-changing therapies and this is why we are happy to be part of a coalition which explains its importance to the British public. Public support for animal research remains strong and we hope that these additional commitments will help to maintain this.”
Prof Sir John Tooke, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said:
“We warmly welcome the publication of the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research and are delighted to see so many organisations committing to transparency about how they conduct, fund or support the use of animals in research.
Animal research underpins many vital areas of scientific, medical and veterinary research that benefit human and animal health. This concordat will help to facilitate discussions between researchers and the public about why and how animals are used in research.”
Norman Baker, Home Office Minister, said:
“I am committed to increasing transparency over the use of animals in scientific research.
I therefore welcome this Concordat, which has strong support from the life sciences sector and will lead to more openness and accountability in the field.
The coalition government champions work that promotes the 3Rs – the replacement, reduction and refinement of the use of animals in research.”
Declared interests
David Willetts’ declarations can be found at this link.
Dr Vicky Robinson was a member of the steering group that had oversight of the development of the Concordat.
Norman Baker’s declarations can be found at this link.