3Rs - search page

The use of animals in scientific research remains a vital tool in improving our understanding of how biological systems work both in health and disease, and in the development of new medicines, treatments and technologies. Underpinning this research is a strong commitment to maintaining a rigorous regulatory system which ensures that animal research is carried out only where no practicable alternative exists and under controls which keep suffering to a minimum. This is achieved through robustly applying the principles of the 3Rs to all research proposals involving the use of animals.

Guidlines from the British Psychological Society's Standing Advisory Committee on the Welfare of Animals in Psychology. This was developed in cooperation with EPS.

In collaboration with the Animal Welfare Information Center at the US Department of Agriculture in Beltsville, USA has produced a database which provides an overview of guidelines, databases, journals, email lists, regulations and policies which may help researchers to implement the 3Rs when planning research that may involve animals. The database is called 3R Guide.

The aim of 3R Guide is to provide a 'one-stop shop' for researchers who need to gain an overview of available 3R resources.

The website is maintained by Norecopa. It covers all Three Rs, is in English and free of charge.  

Understanding Animal Research aim to provide all you want to know about animal research, whether you are a concerned member of the public or have a special interest.

The use of animals in research, teaching and testing is an important ethical and political issue. Much of the discussion about this issue revolves around the relative value, often referred to as 'moral value', of humans and animals.

NORINA is an English-language database containing information on over 3,500 audiovisual aids that may be used as alternatives or supplements to the use of animals in education and training, including dissection alternatives, at all levels from Junior School to University.  The information in the database has been collected from 1991 onwards.

These reccomendations are provided by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft  and are available in English. They may apply for a Three R information retrieval and the way, the retrieved information is processed and discussed in the project applications (to safeguard transparency, etc.).  

Over the past twenty years or so, there has been a ‘revolution’ in the life sciences,and our knowledge and capabilities have dramatically increased. At the same time, these advances have raised very important ethical concerns in both the scientific community and with the public at large.

A special report can be found on this page titled: Utility and Morality:Contemporary Tradeoffs. Within this report there is an article by Bernard E. Rollin titled The Moral Status of Invasive Animal Research.

The Classic AVs database complements NORINA by providing information on audiovisual products produced some years ago, using technology which has been surpassed by modern digital techniques. We offer this collection for those who wish to continue to use classic technology.

The Macaque Website is a free resource for everyone who works with, or is interested in, laboratory macaques: animal care staff and technicians, facility managers, veterinarians, researchers, students, policy makers and IACUC/AWERB members. Developed by the UK’s National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), this site provides referenced information and practical guidance on the natural history and behaviour of macaques, their care and management in captivity, and ways to assess their welfare.