Blog | European Animal Research Association

News from EARA

This page contains all the news outputs from EARA, including press releases and videos, EARA policy and news briefings, plus opinion pieces and significant media articles.

Other pages in this section explain more about EARA on social media and practical information for journalists.

Ethics in the spotlight after pig brain revival

Bob Tolliday

Apr 29, 2019
1 min

Ethics in the spotlight after pig brain revival

A debate has been stirred by news that neuroscientists have stimulated activity in the brain of pigs hours after their heads were removed. The discovery performed at the Yale University School of Medicine, USA, has also highlighted potential limitations in the current regulations for animals used in research as argued in an article in Nature. In an article in National Geographic, Khara Ramos, of the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, asked if “the d

Bob Tolliday

Apr 16, 2019
2 min

2018: Another year of medical achievements thanks to animal research

A look back by EARA at some of the important discoveries in recent times The last year has once again seen an impressive list of medical achievements globally, as scientists find better treatments for devastating diseases. Among the breakthroughs reported are: Human trials are now closer for an Ebola vaccine with a team at UW–Madison School of Veterinary aiming to produce an experimental vaccine (March 2018) that has already been proven to work safely in monkeys.Researchers a

New steps towards transparency at Belgian EARA member

Bob Tolliday

Mar 11, 2019
1 min

New steps towards transparency at Belgian EARA member

EARA member Union Chimique Belge (UCB) has included the total number of animals used in research for the first time in its latest annual report. The 2018 report of the biompharmaceutical company, based in Belgium, contains a governance section that outlines the use of animals in its biomedical research. UCB states that a total of 17,020 animals (both internally and externally at CROs) were used: 97.6 % of all animals used were rodents, with non-human primates, dogs, llamas, m

Bob Tolliday

Mar 8, 2019
4 min

Personhood for animals?

Animals are not capable of taking responsibility for their own actions, never mind having a say in how society is run, says EARA Executive Director, Kirk Leech. The new documentary, Unlocking the Cage, follows Steve Wise, a lawyer from the Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) who argues that animals should have the legal status of persons, and his attempt to make chimpanzee “rights” acknowledged and protected by law. The endeavour failed in December 2015 when the New York appeals c

The first ten years of the UK’s Understanding Animal Research

Bob Tolliday

Feb 28, 2019
3 min

The first ten years of the UK’s Understanding Animal Research

By UAR Chief Executive Wendy Jarrett Understanding Animal Research (UAR) reached its tenth birthday on 1 January 2019 and we have been engaging and informing people about how and why animals are used in research for a decade. So we thought that it would be a good time to have a look back at some of the highlights of the past decade and remind ourselves of how UAR came about and what it has achieved so far. UAR has inherited the DNA of two parent UK organisations – the Researc

EARA pinpoints potential problems for transport of animals in a no-deal Brexit

Bob Tolliday

Feb 28, 2019
2 min

EARA pinpoints potential problems for transport of animals in a no-deal Brexit

EARA has highlighted the issues that could affect the efficient transportation of animals and animal related products used for research if there is a no-deal Brexit. The submission to the UK Parliament Science and Technology Committee inquiry on Brexit, Science and Innovation: preparations for a no-deal by the EARA Brexit Taskforce, examined the import and export to and from the UK, of purpose-bred research animals, biological samples from research animals (blood, tissues, or

Improving openness in animal research in Germany – watch the videos

Bob Tolliday

Feb 26, 2019
1 min

Improving openness in animal research in Germany – watch the videos

The Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) together with the Society for Neuroscience (SfN), last year kindly agreed to support an initiative by the European Animal Research Association (EARA) to raise awareness on the need for greater openness and transparency in communication about the use of animals in research among the neuroscience community in Germany. The first of three events entitled Improving Openness in Animal Research in Germany, was held at the Max

The last airline flying – Lab Animal column

Bob Tolliday

Feb 24, 2019
1 min

The last airline flying – Lab Animal column

The March issue of Lab Animal magazine features an Outreach column written by Kirk Leech, our Executive Director. In this month’s column, the first of a series of contributions to Lab Animal, Kirk talks about the importance of transportation of laboratory animals in making sure that responsible life-saving medical research using animals can take place. You can read the whole issue here (subscription required). #NewsFeatures #EARABriefing

British Airways accused of breaking U.S. federal law by refusing to carry animals intended for resea

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
1 min

British Airways accused of breaking U.S. federal law by refusing to carry animals intended for resea

The U.S. National Association for Biomedical Research (NABR), has accused four airlines operating in the USA, including British Airways, of discrimination by refusing to carry animals for use in medical research when the same animals can be carried as pets, farm animals or for zoos. In a formal complaint to the Department of Transportation by NABR, the association has said British Airways, China Southern, Qatar Airways and United Airlines should comply with federal laws and t

The case for proactive communications of animal statistics

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
3 min

The case for proactive communications of animal statistics

Every year the United Kingdom’s Home Office (the UK ministerial department of internal affairs) publishes its statistics on animals used in scientific procedures. The statistics are announced at a press briefing at which journalists can question the numbers of animals used and researchers place them in their scientific context. Now a yearly opportunity to openly discuss the need for animals in research, these press briefings were first organised as a counterweight to a negati

EARA looks ahead with strategic objectives for next five years

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
2 min

EARA looks ahead with strategic objectives for next five years

EARA has set out the association’s vision and mission and its strategic objectives up until to 2023, following its General Assembly in Munich, Germany. The Strategic Review looks at the background to EARA’s founding in 2014 and its achievements. The association now has more than 70 member organisations from private and public research as well as professional bodies across 15 countries in Europe. EARA was founded following recognition of the need to develop, establish and impl

Commission announces infringement procedure against restrictive Italian animal research law

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
2 min

Commission announces infringement procedure against restrictive Italian animal research law

The European Commission has announced the start of an infringement procedure against Italy, whose animal research law it calls ‘too restrictive’. The Commission has sent a letter of formal notice to the Italian government, as the first step in the infringement procedure. Earlier this year, EARA’s partner organisation Research4Life asked the European Commission on behalf of 37 public and private Italian research institutions for the law to be reassessed. The infringement proce

Studying the Zika virus in rhesus macaques

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
7 min

Studying the Zika virus in rhesus macaques

The 2016 Olympic Games are due to begin in Rio de Janeiro this weekend. In the lead-up to this year’s Games, the Zika virus has never been far from the headlines. A number of top golfers and basketball players have decided to pull out and other athletes have also expressed their concerns, despite the risk to anyone who is not pregnant being minimal. As it is not currently mosquito season in Brazil, experts say the Olympics will not accelerate the spread of the virus. It is th

EARA voices concerns to UK Parliament on implications of no-deal Brexit

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
1 min

EARA voices concerns to UK Parliament on implications of no-deal Brexit

EARA’s Brexit Taskforce has made a submission to the UK Parliament Health and Social Care Committee inquiry concerning the animal science used to develop human and veterinary medicines. Critical to the continuing success of the biomedical sector will be the timely and efficient import/export transport of purpose-bred research animals, biological samples and vaccines. The submission also offers concrete proposals for avoiding delays in the movement of animals and related mater

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
1 min

EARA Brexit briefing published

EARA Brexit Taskforce Briefing on the potential implications for animal science in the UK and EU stemming from Brexit EARA has brought together a group of organisations under a Brexit Taskforce. The Taskforce is comprised of the following organisations – EARA, ABPI, AnimalHealth Europe, Charles River Laboratories, Covance, Ellegaard Göttingen Minipigs, Envigo, GSK, Marshall BIoResources, National Office of Animal Health, Understanding Animal Research and the Wellcome Sanger I

Ebola vaccine in use thanks to ‘curiosity-driven’ basic research

Bob Tolliday

Nov 11, 2018
2 min

Ebola vaccine in use thanks to ‘curiosity-driven’ basic research

There was no known widespread outbreaks of Ebola when the vaccine was developed 15 years ago using animals, says Kirk Leech, EARA Executive Director. There’s a worrying new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) — the second the country has faced since the largest-ever Ebola virus epidemic swept West Africa from 2014 to 2015. The World Health Organization (WHO) learned about the new outbreak in early May, but suspects that, since April, a total of 44 peo

The Times opinion piece: ‘Mob rule by animal rights activists cannot be allowed to stop research’

Bob Tolliday

Sep 19, 2018
1 min

The Times opinion piece: ‘Mob rule by animal rights activists cannot be allowed to stop research’

A leader column in The Times newspaper has called on governments across the world to require airlines to carry animals used for research. The newspaper was commenting on an article it ran on the formal complaint to the US Department of Transportation by the National Association for Biomedical Research (NABR), which has accused four airlines operating in the USA, of discrimination by refusing to carry animals for use in medical research when the same animals can be carried as

Bob Tolliday

Aug 31, 2016
4 min

Personhood for animals?

Scientists’ engagement in animal research policy-making – Lab Animal Europe column

Bob Tolliday

Aug 13, 2016
1 min

Scientists’ engagement in animal research policy-making – Lab Animal Europe column

The November issue of Lab Animal Europe magazine features an Outreach article written by Emma Martinez, EARA Communications and Policy Officer. In this article, also published in Lab Animal (US), Emma discusses how the European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Stop vivisection’ and the review of Directive 2010/63/EU converge on the European Commission scientific conference ‘Non-Animal Approaches – The Way Forward’ and the need for scientific engagement. #PressRelease #EARABriefing #EU

Заявление в поддержку Директивы 2010/63/EU

Bob Tolliday

Jan 28, 2016
2 min

Заявление в поддержку Директивы 2010/63/EU

Заявление в поддержку Европейской Директивы 2010/63/EU (Директива) о защите животных, используемых в научных целях. Использование животных в научных исследованиях способствовало основным прорывам в медицине, которые обеспечивают здоровье людей и животных. Мы поддерживаем исследования на животных в тех случаях, когда альтернативные методы недоступны, когда потенциальная польза с точки зрения здоровья несомненна, и когда приемлемые этические стандарты и благополучие животных мо