EU LAWMAKERS SEEK TO INTENSIFY EFFORTS TO PROTECT ANIMALS USED IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Thu 16 September 2021:

On Thursday, the European Parliament urged that the European Union step up efforts to end the use of animals in scientific research.

Animal rights activists applauded the nonbinding resolution, which was passed by a large majority of parliamentarians.

“MEPs (Members of European Parliament) request an EU-wide action plan with ambitious and achievable objectives as well as timelines for phasing-out the use of animals in research and testing,” a statement said.

“They want sufficient medium- and long-term funding to be made available to ensure the fast development, validation and introduction of alternative testing methods.”

Since 2009, the EU has prohibited animal testing for cosmetics, and there are restrictions in place to protect animals that are still used for scientific research that is deemed necessary.

According to a European Commission report, more than 12 million animals, 90% of which are mice, were raised and slaughtered for scientific reasons in 2017, with many of them not being used in tests.

The EU lawmakers said they “understood that there are cases where animal experiments are still needed to gain scientific insights for certain diseases due to the current unavailability of non-animal methods”.

“They underline however that these testing regimes must only take place where conditions are optimised to minimise pain, distress and suffering,” the statement said.

The resolution was called “an historic opportunity to remove animal suffering from the equation and change the focus to modern, cutting-edge, human relevant research” by animal rights group Humane Society International.

(Input with agency)

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