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

Portuguese TV news has highlighted the use of fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) as an animal research model at the labs of the Champalimaud Foundation The institution, also an EARA members, is based in Lisbon, Portugal. and uses fruit flies in six of the 19 research groups to study cancer and neurosciences. In the TV item (in Portuguese), Maria Luísa Vasconcelos, the Principal Investigator of Innate Behaviour Research Group, explained why the fruit fly is the ideal model

The Transparency Agreement on Animal Research in Portugal (Acordo de Transparência sobre Investigação Animal em Portugal) is a collaborative project by EARA and the Portuguese Society of Sciences in Laboratory Animals (SPCAL). This is an initiative inspired by the Transparency Agreement in Spain, launched at 2016 where EARA co-operated with the Federation of Spanish Scientific Societies (COSCE) and by the UK Concordat on Openness on Animal Research. The Portuguese Agreement,

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

This article was originally published by Inês S. Albuquerque on the Speaking of Research website. Speaking of Research aims to provide accurate information about the importance of animal research / animal testing in medical and veterinary science. Since 2000 there has been a rise in the opposition to animal research across much of Europe. The tactics of animal rights groups in Europe have been very similar to those in the US, including rallies, hate campaigns, vandalism and t

The public announcement of the Transparency Agreement on Animal Research in Portugal will take place today (21 June 2018). This initiative presented by the scientist Nuno Sousa has been proposed by the European Animal Research Association (EARA) and supported by the Portuguese Society of Sciences in Laboratory Animals (SPCAL) and is supported by 16 Portuguese institutions, from across the country, that use animals in biomedical and basic research. The aim of the Transparency

A Sociedade Portuguesa de Ciências em Animais de Laboratório (SPCAL) em colaboração com a EARA, desenvolveu uma proposta para melhorar a informação disponível para a sociedade sobre a utilização de animais na investigação científica. A proposta é um Acordo de Transparência sobre a Investigação Animal em Portugal que se baseia em quatro compromissos para ajudar os centros de investigação e as universidades a melhorar as informações disponibilizadas ao público sobre esta temáti

Declaração de apoio à Diretiva Europeia 2010/63/UE (“Diretiva”) relativa à proteção dos animais utilizados para fins científicos A utilização de animais na investigação tem facilitado os maiores avanços na medicina que transformaram a saúde humana e animal. Apoiamos a utilização de animais na investigação quando não existam métodos alternativos disponíveis, quando os potenciais benefícios para a saúde sejam imperativos e quando as normas aceitáveis de ética e bem-estar possam