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<p>With reference to the reports entitled Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures
on Living Animals Great Britain 2018 and 2019, published in October 2019 and July
2020 respectively, data on the use of animals in the production of antibodies, whether
monoclonal or polyclonal, is collected from establishments. However, the use of animals
for antibody production falls within a range of purposes in the published data. Therefore,
it is not possible to extract from the data (a) the number or (b) species of animals
used for the production of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies in research and testing
in 2018 or 2019.</p><p>All applications that include animals used for the production
of monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies are subject to a harm-benefit analysis, undertaken
by the Home Office Inspectorate, to ensure any harm which may be caused to the animals
is justified by the expected benefits for humans, animals or the environment. The
rigorous regulatory system in GB requires that no production of antibodies takes place
if there is a validated non-animal alternative that would achieve the scientific outcomes
sought. Project licence proposals for research on animals for which there is no non-animal
alternative for the production of monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies must comply
fully with the principles of the 3Rs: replacement, reduction and refinement.</p>
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