Press Release - May 1998
Statistics Of Scientific Procedures On Animals 1997
30 July 1998 Tel: 020 7273 4600
The total number of scientific procedures on living animals started last
year was 2.64 million, a three per cent drop from the number reported
in 1996, and the lowest number since the mid-1950s, according to statistics
published today.
Other main points in Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living
Animals Great Britain, 1997 are:
- the number of scientific procedures on animals for testing cosmetics
fell by 53 per cent to 1,300;
- procedures involving non-human primates fell by around 11 per cent
to 3,900 and there was a 29 per cent decrease in the use of old-world
monkeys (macaques and baboons);
- procedures involving genetically manipulated animals have increased
by 17 per cent to 350,000 - accounting for 13 per cent of all procedures.
The use of genetically modified animals allows important new areas of
medical and other scientific research to be explored - for example,
cystic fibrosis.
Home Office Minister Lord Williams said:
"I am particularly pleased that the 1997 figures show a three per cent
reduction in the total number of procedures and a 53 per cent reduction
in cosmetic testing over the previous year.
"Figures for scientific procedures are now at their lowest since the
mid-1950s.
"This is good news although we cannot predict there will be further
falls in coming years because of the statutory requirement to deal with
each application for a licence on its merit.
"However, the decision to licence scientific procedures on living animals
is not taken lightly.
"All applications for licences to carry out procedures on living animals
have to be examined on a case-by-case basis and, before allowing tests
to go ahead, we have to be satisfied that there are no alternatives;
that any suffering to animals has been minimised and is outweighed by
the potential benefit to humans or other animals; and that the minimum
possible number of animals are used.
"Until alternative tests can be developed, animal procedures remain
essential to scientific progress and medical breakthroughs. They are
also necessary to test the efficacy and safety of products."
Over the past year the Government has announced a number of initiatives
to restrict the use of animals in scientific procedures.
These include:
- A ban on cosmetic product testing on animals was announced on 6 November
1997; the Home Office is exploring the possibility of extending this
ban to cover ingredients. In the meantime, no new licences to test cosmetic
products or ingredients have been issued.
- The budget available to the Animal Procedures Committee for the development
and implementation of alternatives has been increased by 42 per cent,
from £182,000 to £259,000.
- Animals will not be used to test offensive weapons, or tobacco and
alcohol products.
- The Home Office will not authorise the use of Great Apes (gorillas,
chimpanzees, pygmy chimpanzees and orang-utans). The use of ascitic
animals in monoclonal antibody production will be phased out.
- The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate has been increased
to 21.
Notes for editors:
1. Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living
Animals Great Britain, 1997 Cm 4025, ISBN 0-10-140252-X, priced
£13.45, was laid before Parliament on 30 July 1998 and is available
from the Stationary Office. Media copies are available from Home Office
press office.
2. The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 regulates
any experimental or other scientific procedure applied to a protected
animal (all vertebrates, except man, and one invertebrate species, Octopus
vulgaris) which may have the effect of causing that animal pain, suffering,
distress or lasting harm.
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