Issued by: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and the Home Office

New plan backs researchers to seize on new and developing opportunities to phase out animal tests with specific commitments for the coming years.

• Government vows to phase out animal tests as alternative methods come on stream with new strategy welcomed as ‘ambitious’ and ‘timely’ by animal welfare and life sciences organisations

• New £75 million funding will help bring forward new testing methods for products that can save lives and make path to regulation clearer for researchers

• Strategy developed by government with life sciences, business and animal welfare organisations, meeting government’s manifesto commitment

Animal testing in science is set to be phased out faster under a new plan to deliver on the government’s manifesto commitment, unveiled by Science Minister Lord Vallance today (Tuesday 11 November).

The comprehensive roadmap backs researchers to seize on new and developing opportunities to replace certain animal tests, which are currently still used – where necessary – to determine the safety of products like life-saving vaccines and the impact chemicals like pesticides can have on living beings and the environment.

The strategy recognises that phasing out the use of animals in science can only happen where reliable and effective alternative methods, with the same level of safety for human exposure, can replace them. By working in tandem with partners, backing researchers with new funding and streamlining regulation, the plan will enable teams to pivot safely to methods like:

• organ-on-a-chip systems – tiny devices that mimic how human organs work using real human cells

• greater use of AI to analyse huge amounts of information about molecules to predict whether new medicines will be safe and work well on humans

• 3D bioprinted tissues could create realistic human tissue samples, from skin to liver, for testing – providing lifelike environments for studying human biology and checking if substances are toxic

The plan sets out specific commitments for the coming years, marking it out as one of the most detailed of its kind in the world and opening up new opportunities for the UK to lead on unearthing alternatives to phase out animal tests while growing our economy.

This includes an end to regulatory testing on animals to assess the potential for new treatments to cause skin and eye irritation and skin sensitisation by the end of 2026. By 2027 researchers are expected to end tests of the strength of botox on mice and to use only DNA-based lab methods for adventitious agent testing of human medicines – the process for detecting viruses or bacteria that might accidentally contaminate medicines.

By 2030 it will also reduce pharmacokinetic studies – which track how a drug moves through the body over time – on dogs and non-human primates.

The strategy builds on the UK’s strong track record in developing and adopting alternative methods, such as in establishing the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) – the first organisation of its kind, which has successfully delivered non-animal alternatives in areas like vaccines, backed by millions of pounds of government funding.

Developed by government with close consultation from life sciences experts, businesses and animal welfare organisations, the plan will deliver on the government’s manifesto commitment to improve animal welfare by partnering with scientists, industry, and civil society to phase out of animal testing.

Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

"Nobody in our country of animal lovers wants to see suffering and our plan will support work to end animal testing wherever possible and roll out alternatives as soon as it is safe and effective to do so.

"This is a roadmap which will ensure government, businesses and animal welfare groups can work together to find alternatives to animal testing faster and more effectively."

The Strategy is backed by £60 million of funding, which will be used to set up a hub that will bring together data, technology and expertise to promote collaboration between researchers and a separate new centre to make the path to regulatory approval for new alternatives as straightforward as possible.

Alongside the new plan, £15.9 million has been committed by the Medical Research Council (MRC), Innovate UK and the Wellcome Trust to advance promising ‘human in vitro models’. This includes organ-on-a-chip systems so researchers can test how drugs affect people without using animals, while also unearthing results more relevant to humans. 5 teams across the UK will focus on human in vitro disease models of the liver, brain, cancer, pain and blood vessels.

The government is also committed to supporting validation to ensure that scientific and technical advances lead to a faster transition away from animal use – with robust targets underscoring the need to bring these alternatives forward as soon as they are viable. This could also benefit, for example, cosmetics companies, as while animal testing is banned for cosmetic products, it will potentially open up new opportunities to test potential products which cannot currently be.

The strategy will be overseen by a committee, chaired by Lord Vallance and involving other government ministers and departments, regulators and funders. Key performance indicators will be published next year to monitor progress.

Other commitments as part of the strategy include:

• providing foundational training in alternative methods for early career researchers from next year

• publishing lists of research priorities for alternative methods at least every two years, starting in 2026

• strengthening the commitment of research funders to alternative methods and increase visibility of available alternatives, including through academic journals

• positioning the UK as a global leader in the regulation of alternative methods

Animal Welfare Minister Baroness Hayman said:

"This strategy is an important step forward for animal welfare in our country. By harnessing our scientific excellence, we can deliver real benefits for animal welfare while advancing innovative research that improves lives.

"It is tremendous news for people like me, who care passionately about animal welfare, that we are now able to move towards a future where animal testing is only ever a last resort."

Home Office Minister Lord Hanson said:

"Scientists, industry leaders, and government, share a consistent message: growth of the life sciences sector and the ethical treatment of animals must go hand in hand.

"Our strategy presents a clear, credible roadmap to a future which embraces the opportunities of innovation, while upholding our commitment to ethics and collaboration.

"We will continue to make every effort to ensure that animals are never used in scientific research where validated alternatives exist and will continue with strong regulation."

Responses can be viewed here: (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/animal-testing-to-be-phased-out-faster-as-uk-unveils-roadmap-for-alternative-methods?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications-topic&utm_source=bc4c609c-5a5d-498c-bcf2-0493adae090c&utm_content=immediately)

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