Animal Experiments

(asked on 20th July 2023) - View Source

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Advice on the use of the forced swim test published on 5 July 2023 by the Animals in Science Committee, whether she plans to fund the further development of human-specific, non-animal methods for research into (a) potential treatments for depression and (b) any other areas where the forced swim test is used.


Answered by
George Freeman Portrait
George Freeman
This question was answered on 6th September 2023

The Government welcomes the Committee’s advice on the use of the forced swim test. The report and its recommendations are being carefully considered, and the Government will respond in due course.

The National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) recently published a paper in collaboration with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on the use of the forced swim test in rodents, calling for more research into alternatives to the test. Funded through UK Research and Innovation, the NC3Rs has a range of funding schemes available to support the development of alternatives to the use of animals, including developing non-animal approaches to the test.

Reticulating Splines