Key industry sectors sign up to futher refine, reduce and replace the use of animals in testing

09-Nov-2005

A declaration committing support for new approaches to refine, reduce, and replace the use of laboratory animals in testing (the so-called 3 Rs) was agreed in Brussels by key industry sectors representing the European chemical, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, soap and detergents, animal health, and crop protection industries. At a conference hosted by European Commissioners Günter Verheugen (Enterprise) and Janez Potočnik (Research), the industries said that they would work together and in partnership with the Commission to identify new alternative approaches to animal testing and to collaborate with all those concerned with the validation of new tests in order to speed up their acceptance and implementation.

The partnership between the stakeholders will, under the leadership of the Commission, include the development of an 'Action Plan' to implement practical aspects of the declaration, with annual reports on progress. All industry sectors promote and implement the 3 Rs, and recognise that the increasing pace of scientific progress should also help speed up the development of new approaches, say industry associations as well as their validation and regulatory acceptance.

The partners have committed themselves to the development and publication of the Action Plan by the first quarter of 2006. "A whole new market is opening up to produce alternatives to animal testing through the use of biotechnology. It will be essential that the development of the basic research carried out by academia and industry is effectively supported and that a fast track approval system be put in place for these products," said Johan Vanhemelrijck, Secretary General of EuropaBio, which represents biotechnology industry. "Industry is working hard, together with the Commission, to be in a position to report on progress made by the end of next year."

Organisations supporting the declaration are: CEFIC, EFPIA, Colipa , EuropaBio, AISE, EPCA and IFAH-Europe.

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