Animal testing and 3R
Animal testing and 3R
Only when all other methods are unsuitable for answering scientific questions do we carry out experiments with animals. This is also required by law. The necessity of each individual animal experiment is always carefully weighed up.
The welfare of laboratory animals is of particular concern to all employees involved in animal experiments: animal welfare, the best possible husbandry conditions and the responsible treatment of animals are not only a legal obligation for us, but above all an ethical and moral obligation. They are also an indispensable prerequisite for obtaining usable and reproducible scientific results.
For many years, we have also made the so-called 3R principle our guiding principle. The three Rs stand for:
Replacement (avoidance)
Where possible, animal experiments are replaced by alternative methods. It is checked whether it is sufficient to use simple organisms such as bacteria or invertebrates or to use cell and tissue cultures, computer models or other alternative methods to answer the scientific question.
Reduction
The number of test animals is reduced to a necessary minimum. A clever experimental design and statistical and methodological optimisations contribute to this. Suitable animal models are carefully selected on the basis of experience. In addition, similar experiments are prevented from being carried out more than once.
Refinement (improvement)
The animals must be kept in a species-appropriate manner, i.e. with sufficient space and in an environment that promotes their well-being. This is achieved, for example, through enrichment, such as hiding places in the cages or additional material for nest building. Experimental methods (e.g. anaesthesia) are also optimised to this end.