UK government unveils roadmap to speed the development of animal testing alternatives
Scientists warn that non-animal methods are unlikely to ever replace animal testing, particularly in discovery science
The UK government has published a roadmap to speed up alternatives to animal testing in research. It has committed £75 million to advance new testing methods for products and promises to streamline regulation. However, many in the scientific community believe that replacements for all types of research won’t be possible in the foreseeable future.
The strategy commits £60 million for a data, technology and expertise hub to promote collaboration and a separate centre aimed at simplifying regulatory approval for products. The Medical Research Council, Innovate UK and Wellcome will receive £15.9 million to advance human in vitro models, such as organ-on-a-chip systems that mimic how human organs work using human cells.