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"Goes too far": Politicians and researchers warn against EU ban on animal testing

2023-06-04T12:31:14.182Z

Highlights: A citizens' initiative calls for the general abolition of animal testing in the EU. Science and politics warn of serious consequences for "human and animal health" The European Citizens' Initiative "Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe Without Animal Testing" has made it with 1.2 million signatures: the Commission and Parliament must deal with it. The Commission is obliged to formulate a response by the end of July. The Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany takes a critical stance towards the goal of the initiative.



Rats in the experimental laboratory of a scientific experiment. © melekkalyoncu/IMAGO

A citizens' initiative calls for the general abolition of animal testing in the EU. Science and politics warn of serious consequences for "human and animal health".

This article is IPPEN. MEDIA as part of a cooperation with the Europe.Table Professional Briefing – it was first published by Europe.Table on 1 June 2023.

Brussels – The European Citizens' Initiative "Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe Without Animal Testing" has made it with 1.2 million signatures: the Commission and Parliament must deal with it. But while the demand for a tightening of the ban on animal testing for cosmetics or chemicals is hardly controversial, the demand for a gradual general abolition of animal testing is causing a stir in the scientific community. She fears that the Commission will change its position.

At the hearing on the citizens' initiative in the Parliament's Environment Committee last Thursday (25 May), the representatives of the citizens' initiative focused primarily on the topic of animal testing in cosmetics production – and underlined their presentations with sometimes drastic videos. Tilly Metz, a member of the Green Party from Luxembourg, also called for a critical review of the issue of animal experiments. Where can these already be replaced today and how can procedures be accelerated? Where are they essential? And how can alternative methods be better promoted? She pointed out that, for example, only 0.1 percent of the budget in the Horizon Europe programme is available for research into alternatives. The current federal budget also provides only 5.4 million euros for the development of alternative methods.

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Christian Ehler (CDU), on the other hand, criticized: "Unnecessary animal testing should be abolished gradually, but this initiative goes too far." He continued: "Where possible, science will move to alternatives, but EU legislation is unnecessary and risks undoing important scientific work on human and animal health."

Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany criticises

Criticism also comes from science. In its statement, the Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany took a critical stance towards the goal of the citizens' initiative. From the point of view of the alliance, "such a far-reaching and sweeping demand is not scientifically justified. It also fails to recognise the fundamental principles of how research produces new knowledge and innovative developments." It goes on to say: "Animal testing is still needed to understand the workings of complex biological systems and as a basis for the ethical conduct of human clinical trials."

Stefan Treue, director of the German Primate Center in Göttingen and chairman of the initiative "Understanding Animal Experiments", fears that the narrative of the initiative, which mainly focused on the topic of cosmetics, could also catch on with many members of parliament. It is claimed that alternative methods, similar to cosmetics, could quickly replace animal testing in biomedical research. It is now important to continue talking to MEPs and the Commission. Especially since only representatives of the citizens' initiative were heard at the hearing. "But our ability to approach the Commission is limited," Treue said when contacted by Table.Media.

Commission must reply by the end of July

In response to a resolution of the EU Parliament in 2021, which also called for a step-by-step plan to abolish animal experiments, the Commission had responded with a commitment to the 3Rs path currently being taken – i.e. "reduction, refinement and replacement" of animal experiments. At present, therefore, alternative methods must first be validated. Only then can animal experiments be replaced, which proves to be a high hurdle. The question now is whether this course will now be called into question in the EU.

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The Commission is obliged to formulate a response by the end of July. This can include legal changes or initiate a dialogue process. At least Carmen Laplaza, head of health innovation in the Directorate-General for Research, said last week: Then as now, a complete ban would be "ambitious". And Laplaza emphasized: "We are convinced that this goal can be achieved, but only when science has made enough progress." Investments in animal-free alternatives (NAMs) are important. She expects Horizon Europe's Strategic Plan 2025-27 to announce further calls for the development of NAMs. (By Markus Weisskopf)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2023-06-04

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