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<p>The Government considers that the carefully regulated use of animals in scientific
research remains a vital tool in improving the understanding of how biological systems
work and in the development of safe new medicines, treatments and technologies.</p><p>
</p><p>At the same time, the Government believes that animals should only be used
when there is no practicable alternative and it actively supports and funds the development
and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals
in research (the 3Rs), in particular through funding for the National Centre for the
Replacement Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), and also through
ongoing UK-led efforts to encourage greater global uptake of the 3Rs.</p><p> </p><p>Advances
in biomedical science and technologies – including stem cell research, in vitro systems
that mimic the function of human organs, imaging and new computer modelling techniques
– are all providing new opportunities to reduce reliance on the use of animals in
research.</p><p> </p><p>As part of this, Innovate UK, the NC3Rs, the Biotechnology
and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory,
the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Medical Research Council
have produced a Non-animal Technologies Roadmap for the UK.</p><p> </p><p>The Roadmap
offers an approach for the UK to develop, exploit and deploy new non-animal technologies
for long-term economic and societal benefit. Integral to this strategy have been two
Innovate UK industry-led competitions which have awarded approximately £7m in grant
funding; “Developing non-animal technologies” and “Advancing the development and application
of non-animal technologies”.</p><p> </p><p>EU and UK law requires safety testing on
animals before human trials for new medicines can begin and animal research still
plays an important role in providing vital safety information for potential new medicines.</p><p>
</p><p>The Early Day Motion (EDM 400) rightly draws attention to the UK life science
sector’s Concordat on openness in animal research which was launched in 2014, and
provides new opportunities for transparency and debate in this area.</p><p> </p><p>
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