3Rs - search page

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.

Humane Endpoints Website is provided by 3Rs-Centre Utrecht Life Sciences, gives insight into the recognition and application of humane endpoints in rodents. The website contributes to refinement, the prevention of unnecessary suffering in laboratory animals, by offering information, videos and photographs of rodent species. In addition, the website provides free training modules (accessible after registration). The site is currently available in EN, NL and FR. DE and ES will follow soon.

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

The aim of "InVitroJobs" is to enable researchers to access this branch of research more easily. Alongside the job search portal, the site maintains an up-to-date list of research groups active in the development of animal-free techniques. The primary aims of this list are to advertise job vacancies, to provide students with the opportunity to contact these research groups directly to obtain information for thesis assignments and to promote cooperation, networking and the exchange of ideas between researchers.