Animal testing 2020
Various research methods are used in biology, animal production and life sciences research (the focus areas at Wageningen University & Research). For example, computer models can be used to make calculations and forecasts. Laboratory experiments are suitable for modelling processes or investigating sub-processes in the human or animal body.
These methods are undergoing rapid developments and are leading to increasingly better results, but there are occasions when animal experiments are still needed. In some cases, an animal experiment may even be a legal requirement. Animal experiments are also used for educational purposes.
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Animal testing license
Only researchers who have the relevant training (an ‘Article 9 status’) and are employed by an institution that is licensed to carry out animal experiments (a licensee) may apply to conduct an animal experiment. However, even if a researcher considers an animal experiment to be necessary, there is a long way to go before the experiment can actually start.
Type of research and use of animal experiments
Animal testing is used for education, scientific research and statutory research tasks in various departments and research institutes at WUR, and for a wide range of research questions.
Replace, reduce and refine
WUR actively seeks to develop and implement alternatives to animal testing. This could be an alternative research model or an alternative research technique that makes the use of animal testing unnecessary (replace), that reduces the number of test animals needed (reduce), and/or ensures that the research methods cause less suffering to the animals (refine).
Figures on animal testing
The number of animal experiments has fluctuated since the Wod was amended in 2014. There was a large increase in the number of fish used in experiments between 2014 and 2015, as fish used to monitor fish stocks in the North Sea did not fall under the Wod prior to 2015.
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