There are many myths about animal testing that mean many people are not aware that millions of animals suffer through experimentation in British labs every year.Â
Here are some facts about animal testing and experimentation:
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Millions of animals are used in British laboratories each year, including mice, fish, chickens, frogs and rabbits, dogs, cats, horses, cows, goats and pigs.
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Animal testing for medical research is not required by law in the UK. Despite this, in 2024, 26% of all UK animal experiments were carried out for regulatory purposes, using 254,431animals – of which 1,651 were beagles or other dogs.
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92% of drugs fail in human clinical trials following animal tests. Positive results from animal tests can’t guarantee that a drug will be safe for patients, and has led to some catastrophic incidents in human clinical trials in the past.
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Animals are used in research because of their genetic similarity to humans – yet while we share up to 98% of our DNA with some animals, it’s the small yet important differences that make us distinct. Many diseases like Alzheimer’s and HIV are unique to humans, meaning animals cannot truly replicate them, even with genetic modifications.
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Innovative, animal free New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) like organ-on-a-chip, lab-grown human tissues and advanced computer models are revolutionising the way we test medicines, without the use of animals. These technologies are human-specific, accurately mimicking the way human cells and organs behave, while being more accurate in predicting how a drug interacts with the human body than an animal.
You can find more myth-busting facts about animal testing and experimentation here
