3.09 Dialoque on animal experiments important
Lif supports the publication of applications and authorisations to conduct animal experiments. Lif is of the opinion that openness is the foundation for a good dialogue on animal experiments.
Lif wants to ensure the best possible conditions for the laboratory animals and has contributed to the Danish requirements regarding animal welfare being tightened relative to the current European requirements.
Today, animal experiments are necessary for the development of new medicines. They are still necessary because cell cultures and computer models cannot as yet imitate the complicated interaction occurring in live animals.
Besides, certain types of animal experiments are a regulatory requirement and a precondition for allowing new medicine to be tested on humans and later on to be used by patients.
Lif’s member companies are spending many resources on developing alternative methods to replace animal experiments or methods using fewer animals. At the same time, the existing animal models are being developed on an ongoing basis so that they will cause less distress to the animals.
Lif supports the international efforts to improve the conditions and welfare of laboratory animals, for instance in the Council of Europe and the EU, and the work carried out via the international harmonisation process for medicines between authorities and the industry (ICH).
Lif believes:
- that the development of alternatives and improvements of existing methods should be coordinated internationally. Therefore Lif is represented in DACOPA which is internationally anchored in ECOPA where animal welfare associations, authorities, universities and the industry are represented,
- that it is important to allocate sufficient resources to DACOPA,
- Initiatives should be taken to make more advice available in the field of animal experimentation, including the development of methods that cause less distress to the animals and alternatives to animal experiments.
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