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.

EARA sets out its guidance on improving Non-Technical Summaries for the general public

mburberry8

Jun 17, 2019
3 min

EARA sets out its guidance on improving Non-Technical Summaries for the general public

The European Animal Research Association (EARA) has submitted a guidance document on Non-Technical Summaries (NTS) to the EU Commission on how NTS can be made more understandable for the ordinary reader. The details were presented by Javier Guillén, (pictured below) a member of the EARA working group that produced the guidance document, at the 14th FELASA Congress, held in Prague, Czech Republic, last week. Javier told the Congress that as part of its strategy to improve open

EARA website study shows more progress is needed to improve openness on animal research in Italy

Bob Tolliday

Jun 7, 2019
2 min

EARA website study shows more progress is needed to improve openness on animal research in Italy

A study by the European Animal Research Association (EARA), of websites of biomedical research bodies in Italy, assessing how they discuss research using animals, has found that the sector is still some way from an acceptable level of openness and transparency in animal research. EARA assessed a total of 64 institutional websites in Italy during 2018, both public and private bodies, such as universities and pharmaceutical companies, and a rating system was developed to analys

EARA website study shows more progress is needed to improve openness on animal research in Portugal

mburberry8

Jun 7, 2019
2 min

EARA website study shows more progress is needed to improve openness on animal research in Portugal

A study by the European Animal Research Association (EARA), of websites of biomedical research bodies in Portugal, assessing how they discuss research using animals, has found that the sector is still some way from an acceptable level of openness and transparency in animal research. EARA assessed a total of 50 institutional websites in Portugal, during 2018, both public and private bodies, such as universities and pharmaceutical companies, and a rating system was developed to

EARA website study shows more progress is needed to improve openness on animal research in France

Bob Tolliday

Jun 6, 2019
2 min

EARA website study shows more progress is needed to improve openness on animal research in France

A study by the European Animal Research Association (EARA), of websites of biomedical research bodies in France, assessing how they discuss research using animals, has found that the sector is still some way from an acceptable level of openness and transparency in animal research. EARA assessed a total of 191 institutional websites in France during 2018, both public and private bodies, such as universities and pharmaceutical companies, and a rating system was developed to ana

EARA website study shows more progress is needed to improve openness on animal research in Germany

Bob Tolliday

Jun 6, 2019
2 min

EARA website study shows more progress is needed to improve openness on animal research in Germany

A study by the European Animal Research Association (EARA), of websites of biomedical research bodies in Germany, assessing how they discuss research using animals, has found that the sector is still some way from an acceptable level of openness and transparency in animal research. EARA assessed a total of 151 institutional websites in Germany during 2018, both public and private bodies, such as universities and pharmaceutical companies, and a rating system was developed to a

EARA study shows the Belgian biomedical sector must continue to improve openness on animal research

Bob Tolliday

Jun 6, 2019
2 min

EARA study shows the Belgian biomedical sector must continue to improve openness on animal research

A study by the European Animal Research Association (EARA) of websites of biomedical research bodies in Belgium, assessing how they discuss research using animals, has found that the sector needs to continue to make progress towards an acceptable level of openness and transparency in animal research. EARA assessed a total of 41 institutional websites in Belgium, during 2018, both public and private bodies, such as universities and pharmaceutical companies, and a rating system

Bob Tolliday

May 28, 2019
2 min

EARA website study shows more progress is needed to improve openness on animal research in France

‘Additional’ animal statistics now being published in EU

Bob Tolliday

Apr 24, 2019
1 min

‘Additional’ animal statistics now being published in EU

The UK has, this week, become the first country to submit ‘additional’ animal statistics under a new EU reporting requirement. The EU Directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes (2010/63) now requires that each EU country give details of the animals that are killed in research facilities that were not used in any regulated procedure. Unlike the Annual Statistics, produced by EU countries, the additional numbers refer to the total number of animals whi

Cancer studies see rise in use of animals in Netherlands research

Bob Tolliday

Apr 18, 2019
2 min

Cancer studies see rise in use of animals in Netherlands research

Increased biomedical research into cancer has seen a rise in the number of procedures using animals in the Netherlands, the latest statistics show. The annual figures for 2017, show an overall increase in the number of animals used (in Dutch), with 530,568 procedures being conducted: 80,694 (17.9%) more than in 2016. In 2017, more animal tests were conducted with zebrafish (research into anti-cancer drugs and an EU-funded project into hormone-disruptors that affect the human

Germany statistics on 2017 animal use released

Bob Tolliday

Jan 10, 2019
1 min

Germany statistics on 2017 animal use released

The total number of animals used in research in 2017 in Germany was 2.8 million, a similar level to 2015 and 2016, the latest figures reveal. Germany is second only to the UK in its use of animals – in 2014, the total used was 3.3 million. The figures, sent to the European Commission, show the vast majority of animals involved in the tests were rodents – 1.37 million mice and 255,000 rats. Among other figures provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, 3,300 dogs and 718 cats we

Statement: European Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
1 min

Statement: European Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes

Given the importance of animal research in science and scientific developments, a coalition of leading research funders, research organisations, learned societies and patient groups – including the European Animal Research Association – has issued a joint statement supporting European Directive 2010/63/EU. The statement calls on the European Parliament and European Commission to oppose the ‘Stop Vivisection’ Citizens’ initiative that is seeking to abrogate the Directive. Anim

FENS joins EARA to support the responsible use of animals in research

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
1 min

FENS joins EARA to support the responsible use of animals in research

MEDIA RELEASE Brussels/London, 17 March 2015 The Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) is actively committed to the responsible use of animals in research. In January, FENS joined forces with the European Animal Research Association (EARA), a communication and advocacy organisation whose mission is to uphold the interests of basic and biomedical research and healthcare development across Europe, and to provide clear information to the public. “Knowledge generat

Great Britain’s biomedical research statistics for 2017 indicate fewer animals used for second conse

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
2 min

Great Britain’s biomedical research statistics for 2017 indicate fewer animals used for second conse

The latest figures released by the Home Office show a decrease in the overall use of animals in biomedical research in Great Britain’s public and private institutions. These statistics for 2017 were presented to the UK Parliament under the terms of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and demonstrate the continuing commitment of the British biomedical sector to openness and transparency about animal research, combined with an ongoing commitment to replace, reduce and

Germany sees 7% rise in animal research procedures in 2016

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
3 min

Germany sees 7% rise in animal research procedures in 2016

Germany’s Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft) has produced its 2016 annual statistics on animal research procedures for Germany. These statistics have seen some big changes from previous years and we will attempt to show comparisons according to the different methodologies used. Germany produces two sets of data as part of the Animal Protection Act. 7(2) – procedures on animals 4(3) – animals killed solely for tissues

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

Neuroscientists hit back at MEPs statement

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
1 min

Neuroscientists hit back at MEPs statement

The Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) has responded to the recent European Parliament’s Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals statement on the use of animals in neuroscience, which claimed that, ‘Animal testing is inherently uncertain and is a misleading indicator for human trials’. In its own response statement FENS said: ‘The value of animal-based research for wide-reaching scientific and medical advances, including in neuroscience, cannot

The wild card of animal rights’ groups: Freedom of Information requests

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
4 min

The wild card of animal rights’ groups: Freedom of Information requests

EARA and Understanding Animal Research, one of our UK partners, promote the importance of universities and other research institutions across Europe of being clear and open about their research. To pre-empt the regular Freedom of Information (FOI) requests about the numbers of animals used, some institutions have taken to pro-actively publishing these on their website (often including a breakdown by species). The other side of the story is activity groups knowing they can gai

Dutch animal research statistics: 18% more procedures than in 2013

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
2 min

Dutch animal research statistics: 18% more procedures than in 2013

The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit, NVWA) published Zo doende 2014, its annual report of animal research in the Netherlands, yesterday. The number of animals used is 17.9% higher than in 2013. Despite the annual report containing revised numbers for 2013, direct comparison is difficult due to new reporting requirements following on from the European Directive 2010/63/EU. National animal research reports now coun

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

European scientific community welcomes EU review of the Directive for the protection of animals used

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
2 min

European scientific community welcomes EU review of the Directive for the protection of animals used

The European scientific community supports the view of the EU Commission, that the Directive on the protection of animals used in biomedical research is bringing significant benefits in animal welfare and a sound foundation for future best practice in the sector. The European Animal Research Association (EARA), which represents more than 60 organisations across Europe in the biomedical research sector, has welcomed the Commission report, published today. The report reviews th