July 18, 2019

annual Home Office statistics on animal research

On Thursday 18th July the Home Office published its 2018 statistics on animals used in scientific procedures.

Journalists came along to hear the responses of two experts to the new figures.  These scientists have a broad overview of animal research and were able to give their thoughts on the reasons behind any rise or fall in the statistics.  They can also offer thoughts on other things such as mouse research in the UK given the backdrop of recent developments including the Sanger Institute planning to close its mouse genetics lab and the MRC Harwell Institute’s Mammalian Genetics Unit also potentially being up for closure.

Journalists came along to hear the panellists’ responses to aspects such as:

• Why have the numbers risen/fallen in the case of certain animals?
• What do these figures tell us about the adoption of the 3Rs (reduction, replacement and refinement)?
• Which areas of science are driving these trends and what is the future likely to hold?
• What does the future of mouse research look like in the UK?

Speakers included:

Prof Dominic Wells, Chair of the Animal Sciences Group of the Royal Society of Biology and Professor in Translational Medicine, Royal Veterinary College

Prof Stephanie Schorge, Professor of Translational Neuroscience, UCL School of Pharmacy, UCL

A roundup of comments accompanied this briefing.