Survey investigates the output and impact of biomedical research with animal and non-animal methods

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Survey investigates the output and impact of biomedical research with animal and non-animal methods

29 June 2020
News
The Joint Research Center (JRC) has published initial results of a survey it conducted to gather the views of EU-funded researchers on how their work has contributed to scientific innovation and benefited society. The survey includes scientists’ perceptions about and experiences with animal and non-animal models.

The survey targeted researchers working on breast cancer, prostate cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias who have participated in EU-funded projects over the past 20 years under framework programs FP5, FP6, FP7 or Horizon 2020. The JRC report provides a brief factual summary of the 202 responses received.

Of the 202 survey participants, 110 (54%) felt the model they used is still scientifically relevant or needed and therefore they would not consider changing it. Thirty-eight (19%) would not consider changing because their model is still mandatory. Of those who would consider changing to another model/method, 15 respondents (7%) would move from an animal to a non- animal model, 14 (7%) would shift from an animal to a different animal model, 12 (6%) from a non-animal to an animal model, and 6 (less than 3%) would consider changing from a non- animal to a different non-animal model.

At the end of the survey, respondents were prompted to reflect on their experience with publishing exclusively non-animal (and non-clinical) research data. Nine percent reported they had an easy experience, while 33% reported average, and 15% said they had a hard time publishing non-animal research data.