The UK government has unveiled an ambitious new strategy to accelerate the phase-out of animal testing in science, fulfilling a manifesto commitment to improve animal welfare. Science Minister Lord Vallance announced the roadmap, which aims to replace certain animal tests with alternative methods where safe and reliable options exist, while maintaining rigorous safety standards for products like vaccines and chemicals. The plan emphasizes collaboration between government, industry, researchers, and animal welfare organizations, backed by £75 million in funding to support the development, validation, and regulatory approval of alternatives.
The strategy highlights several innovative approaches, including organ-on-a-chip systems that simulate human organs, AI to predict drug safety, and 3D bioprinted tissues that provide realistic environments for testing. The roadmap includes concrete milestones: by the end of 2026, regulatory testing for skin and eye irritation will end; by 2027, certain Botox tests on mice will cease; and by 2030, pharmacokinetic studies on dogs and non-human primates will be reduced. These measures build on the UK’s existing expertise in alternatives, such as the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement, and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs).
To support the transition, £60 million will fund a hub to centralize data, technology, and expertise, while £15.9 million from the Medical Research Council, Innovate UK, and the Wellcome Trust will advance human in vitro models in areas including liver, brain, cancer, pain, and blood vessels. The strategy also establishes a committee, chaired by Lord Vallance, to oversee implementation, monitor progress, and ensure effective collaboration across government departments, regulators, and funders.
The plan includes commitments to train early career researchers, publish research priorities for alternative methods every two years, strengthen funding for non-animal approaches, and position the UK as a global leader in alternative testing regulation. Ministers emphasized that ethical treatment of animals and scientific progress must go hand in hand, with animals only used when no validated alternatives exist.
The strategy has been widely welcomed by scientific, medical, and animal welfare organizations, including RSPCA, NC3Rs, ABPI, medical research charities, the Royal Society of Biology, the Francis Crick Institute, and Understanding Animal Research. Experts praised the plan for its clarity, ambition, and practical approach, noting that it balances the continued need for animal research in some areas with the urgent drive to implement innovative non-animal methods. The government reiterated that UK law prohibits using animals where validated alternatives are available, ensuring that ethical and scientific standards remain paramount as new technologies are adopted.
