3Rs - search page

Recommendations for Excellence: as part of ongoing efforts to reduce waste and increase the reproducibility of animal research and testing, a group of experts led by the Secretary of Norecopa has produced a set of guidelines for planning animal experiments

Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science (JAAWS) is a US journal that publishes articles, commentaries, and brief research reports on methods of experimentation, husbandry and care that demonstrably enhance the welfare of all nonhuman animals.

The Swiss 3R Competence Centre (3RCC) promotes the 3Rs principle (replacement, reduction and refinement of animal experimentation) among the scientific community and the public. To facilitate the development and implementation of effective 3R methods and improve animal welfare it challenges research paradigms and creates innovative alternatives to animal use.

The official journal of the Institute of Animal Technology and of the European Federation of Animal Technologists (EFAT).Animal Technology and Welfare aims to be the medium for animal technologists and all those concerned with the care and welfare of animals used for research purposes to communicate ‘best practice. ATW especially aims to promote and develop the 3Rs particularly in respect of Refinement.

More importantly, ATW promotes the generally accepted ‘4th R’, Responsibility. The responsibility that all animal technologists have in ensuring dissemination of ‘best practice’ to every institution using animals in research. ATW enjoys a unique position as the scientific publication for the leading organisations (IAT and EFAT) for the welfare of animals in research.

AALAS is an association of professionals that advances responsible laboratory animal care and use to benefit people and animals.

The CAMARADES collaboration provides a supporting framework for groups involved in the systematic review and meta-analysis of data from experimental animal studies. 

Our interests range from identifying potential sources of bias in animal work; developing recommendations for improvements in the design and reporting of animal studies; developing the meta-analysis methodology the better to apply it to animal studies; through to the selection of candidate stroke drugs for clinical trial. 

CAMARADES aims to provide a central focus for data sharing; to act as a resource for those wishing to carry out such reviews; to provide a web based stratified meta-analysis bioinformatics engine (under development!); and to act as a repository for completed reviews.

Vaccination of animals against disease protects them from suffering. However, this comes with an animal welfare cost - the safety and efficacy of vaccines is assessed in experimental animals and the tests involved can cause significant pain and distress. There is an ethical dilemma in protecting one set of animals at the expense of others but implementation of the 3Rs can help to resolve this. The research animals department works with researchers involved in vaccine testing and regulators to promote the 3Rs in this important area.

Initiate activities that may lead to the immediate implementation of the 3Rs.

Consensus meetings on the care and use of fish, wildlife and agricultural animals in research is provided by Norecopa. It contains presentations, guidelines and consensus statements from four international meetings covering all Three Rs, is in English and free of charge.