Reducing, Refining and Replacing the Use of Animals in Research
Scientist
Date: October 17, 2019.
Meaghan Loy, MS, ALAT, SOT Associate Member and Category Director of In Vivo Services at Scientist.com hosted the 3-part webinar series that focused on animal welfare within scientific research. We collaborated with the UK’s National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement & Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) to co-host the series and had guests from Mimetas, Hera Biolabs, and Sinclair Research to offer their technologies and solutions. Each webinar in the three-part educational series focused on the 3Rs of Animals in Research — Replacement, Reduction and Refinement — which are key factors in improving animal welfare in all types of research. Replacing animals with in vitro or in silico methods, reducing the numbers of animals used and refining procedures to reduce pain and distress are all critical to overall welfare. The 3Rs help us fulfill our moral and ethical obligations to the animals that have allowed many of the most important modern medical advances to occur. As straightforward as the 3Rs may sound, they can present a unique set of challenges upon implementation. It’s easy to continue conducting the same tried and true studies, but there are many recent innovations that researchers may not be aware of.