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.

Insight into views of UK public with opinion poll on animal research

Bob Tolliday

Jun 6, 2019
1 min

Insight into views of UK public with opinion poll on animal research

Around two thirds of the UK public accepts the use of animals for research where there is no alternative, according to a government survey for 2018. But the newly released report also observed that one of the main characteristics the public attributes to animal research organisations remains “secrecy”. The acceptability figure remains unchanged since 2014. As well as asking about public acceptability of animal research the 2018 report on Public Attitudes to Animal Research, p

‘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

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

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

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

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

Hundreds of scientists sign letter supporting primates in neuroscience

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
3 min

Hundreds of scientists sign letter supporting primates in neuroscience

Over 400 primate and neuroscience researchers signed a letter supporting the use of non-human primates in neuroscience, which was published in the Guardian today. Coordinated by Understanding Animal Research (UAR), the letter emphasises the key role that primate research has played and continues to play in vital neuroscience research. EARA signed the letter alongside 20 other institutions, as well as reaching out to our networks in Europe to gain further support. The letter c

EARA backs UK commitment to animal welfare

Bob Tolliday

Jan 8, 2019
1 min

EARA backs UK commitment to animal welfare

The European Animal Research Association (EARA) has backed the UK government’s recent statements on its commitment to animal welfare. The UK Parliament recently voted not to carry over Article 13 of the Lisbon treaty into UK law as part of Brexit legislation – Article 13 states that ‘since animals are sentient beings, [countries must] pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals’. This was seen by opponents as an attempt to undermine current standards of animal welf

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

Top ten UK universities for animal research announced

Bob Tolliday

Nov 26, 2018
1 min

Top ten UK universities for animal research announced

A list of the ten UK universities that conduct the highest number of animal procedures has been published by Understanding Animal Research (UAR). The statistics have been gathered from figures found on the universities’ websites as part of their ongoing commitment to transparency and openness. The ten institutions collectively conducted over one third of all UK animal research in 2017 all have signed up to the Concordat on Openness on Animals Research. The top three in the li

UK Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, 2014

Bob Tolliday

Jan 5, 2017
1 min

UK Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, 2014

London, 22 October 2015 The Home Office, the UK Government department for Internal Affairs, has today released the annual statistics on the number of animals used in research in 2014. Understanding Animal Research, the UK based group advocating to broaden the understanding and acceptance of the humane use of animals in biomedical research, has commented on these figures on their website. Kirk Leech, Executive Director of the European Animal Research Association (EARA), adds:

Why People Are Wrong to Oppose the New UK Beagle Breeding Facility

Bob Tolliday

Aug 19, 2015
4 min

Why People Are Wrong to Oppose the New UK Beagle Breeding Facility

Where do medicines come from? It’s not a question most of us bother with when we take advantage of the huge array of medical treatments available to us. All modern medicine is built on the ‘basic research’ which allows us to understand our physiology, and the diseases we suffer. Much of this research has been done, and continues to be done, in animals. Had Mering and Minkowski not shown the causal link between the pancreas and diabetes in dogs, we might never have discovered

Ill-informed arguments perpetuate ‘misunderstanding and misrepresentation’ of animal research

Bob Tolliday

May 8, 2014
3 min

Ill-informed arguments perpetuate ‘misunderstanding and misrepresentation’ of animal research

To describe animal testing as ‘outdated and fundamentally flawed’ is inaccurate and unhelpful Article published in The Parliament magazine The Parliament Magazine recently featured a piece by Emily McIvor claiming that animals were poor predictors of human responses to drugs and that nine out of 10 drugs tested on animals fail during human trials, yet this fundamentally misunderstands how animals are used. Animals are used to test the safety of the drug, not its efficacy.<br>