We are urging the government to build on its manifesto commitment and begin planning the phase-out of animal testing after new Home Office statistics showed another meagre fall in testing numbers for 2023.
There were 2,681,686 uses of animals in laboratories in Great Britain in 2023 – a decrease of only 3% on 2022.
Of those 2.68 million:
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Severe or moderate pain, causing the most suffering and distress, and even death – 18% (495,658)
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Creation and breeding of genetically altered animals – 45% (1.21m)
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Basic curiosity-driven research – 29% (769,865)
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Translational research to develop treatments or cures for diseases – 14% (368,685)
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Regulatory testing, to assess the safety or effectiveness of products – 9% (246,163)
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Routine production, for antibodies, etc. – 2% (59,222)
Tests on species:
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Horses – 39% rise (11,409)
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Cats – 38% fall (63)
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Dogs – 9% fall (3,770)
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Monkeys – 1% fall (2,169)
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Rabbits – 1% rise (8,936)
Tests highlighted in our UK Replace Animal Tests (RAT) List continued in 2023, despite having approved non-animal replacements. This includes skin irritation tests on rabbits (2023 saw an increase from zero to 3), eye irritation tests on rabbits (three to seven) and skin sensitisation tests on animals (248 to 296, an increase of 19%). These disappointing figures highlight the need for coordinated action driven by government.
Our Director of Science and Regulatory Affairs, Dr Emma Grange, said: “With 2.68 million uses of animals in British laboratories in 2023, the burden on animals remains high and the rate of decline is painfully slow. We hope that the government’s manifesto pledge to work on the phase-out of animal testing in Great Britain means that this is one of the last years where the use of animals is anywhere near this level.
“We need bold, forward-thinking policies just like those we have set out to government in support of their commitment to a phase-out. These actions can begin to free us from the use of outdated experiments on animals, to the benefit of all including the animals used in tests. The focus must now be on plans to end animal testing and the transition to exclusive use of non-animal approaches, some of which have already been shown to perform at least as well, or better, than tests on animals. As well as the government, we call on regulators and the wider scientific community to proactively contribute to the progression away from animal testing. Any cruel animal test is one too many and we will continue to fight for zero animal experiments in Great Britain.”
Every minute, five animals suffer in experiments in British laboratories. By donating today, you could help us carry out research into non-animal test methods and make sure they are used. Will you join the fight for a cruelty-free UK today?