European Medicines Agency looks to reduce animal tests
New 5-year strategy looks at reducing and replacing animal use in drug testing
Last year, our science team contributed to the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) draft Regulatory Science Strategy to 2025 and attended two post-consultation workshops for both veterinary and human medicines.
The final strategy has now been published and we are pleased to see that it includes recommendations promoting the use and development of non-animal methods, and reducing and replacing animals in the testing of human and veterinary medicines.
Key actions within these recommendations include: the development of clear guidance to prioritise use of non-animal methods instead of traditional animal tests; strengthening cooperation between EU and international bodies to increase funding and access to non-animal methods; and the promotion of systematic reviews to reduce animal use.
In 2010, the EMA set up a working group to look at wasteful animal testing within the sector and ensure that alternatives were being implemented. As part of its new strategy, the EMA plans to re-focus the role of this working group to support non-animal testing methods, particularly new computer and cell-based models.
Dr Katy Taylor, our Director of Science and Regulatory Affairs, says: “We welcome this announcement and the publication of the EMA’s new strategy and look forward to seeing the adoption of more effective and human-relevant non-animal methods in European medicines testing.”