Britain is the country that performs more animal experiments in the world (most of them are them on mice, rats and other rodents). Therefore The government announced the creation of a new programme of research that will save the life of over 100.000 animals.
The projects will consist in the elaboration of models of human cells to study several diseases (diabetes for example) and in the amelioration of the well-being of animals during experiments (Science minister Ian Pearson mencioned that even though it is a regrettable part of scientific studies, the use of small animals is esential).
11 of these new projects are part of the 3R’s strategy (replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in investigations).
In 2004 the government created “The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs)”. Nowdays the centre has two objectives. The fist one considers the use of tissue engineering to produce better animal models, and the second one implies the refinement of experiments in wich the death of the animal is needed.
One of NC3Rs projects consists in reducing the use of animals in the growth of kidney tissue, Dr. Jamie Davies (team leader) plans to develop a new procidure that will make the grow in culture possible, reducing the need for embryonic cells. This work would replace 15.000 of the animales used each year in kidney studies.
Apart from this more effors will be made to reduce the use of animals in experiments. For example Dr. Robinson (Chief executive of NC3Rs) mencioned a project in wich they will work with the European pharmaceutical industry in order to reduce the use of animal in toxicity tests (tests that involves the death of animals).
