Animals in research

The British Pharmacological Society supports the essential use of animals in scientific research.

The purpose of such research is to advance our knowledge and understanding of living systems, to study disease and to develop medicines that are safe to use. We recognise that advancing science and medicine requires us to examine living systems. Humans share many basic processes with animals like rats and mice. Building our understanding of these processes in animal models can help us understand how the body works, and to understand and treat diseases. Depending on the scientific question, this can be through the use of animal tissue, or experiments that study the whole living and behaving animal.

The British Pharmacological Society supports the principles of the 3Rs - Replacement, Reduction and Refinement in animal research. Currently, it is not possible to carry out such research with alternative experimental approaches but we are working with the wider scientific community to continue progressing the 3Rs.