#Act4 LabAnimals A new government report has revealed that millions more animals are killed every year in German labs than previously admitted. The Green party has accused officials of sugarcoating statistics. Millions of unused research animals killed in Germany 27 May 2020
#Act4 LabAnimals An open letter spearheaded by Animal Defenders International (ADI) and signed by nearly 100 experts, academics, and other concerned parties is calling for advanced non-animal research methods to be prioritised to accelerate the discovery and use of effective vaccines and treatments for COVID-19. Animal tests may impede progress of COVID-19 treatments, experts say 26 May 2020 ADI
#Act4 LabAnimals Japan Anti-Vivisection Association, JAVA, launched a petition to call on Asahi group to follow the example of other major Japanese companies that have stopped tests on animals that are not required by law. The petition is open until 10 May 2020. Japan Anti-Vivisection Association calls for ban on animal tests that are not required by law 5 May 2020
#Act4 LabAnimals New York University Suspends 'Non-Essential Research' and Allows 'Only Critical Research;' leading to the killing of hundreds of animals PETA calls for New York University to Shut Down Animal Labs 15 April 2020
#Act4 LabAnimals On 21 January, 7 MEPs asked the Commission: 1) Why has the Commission not yet published the statistical report? 2) When does the Commission intend to publish said report? 3) Does the Commission plan to launch a strategy for phasing out the use of animals for scientific or educational purposes? Their question was replied to on 6 April. Commission answers EP concerns on delayed publication of reports and strategy to fully replace the use of animals in science 15 April 2020
#Act4 LabAnimals A Parliamentary Select Committee has decided to recommend against banning a behavioral despair test, despite expert advice stating that it is not effective. Over 25,000 people have called upon the government to ban the test. New Zealand decides against banning Forced Swim Test, despite consensus that it does not work 16 March 2020
#Act4 LabAnimals PETA claimed this shows, “issues of flagrant incompetence, poor standards of care, and a blatant disregard for life.” The company violates animal welfare regulations in the United States as well. Scottish laboratory gets sanctioned for cruel acts against rats 16 March 2020
#Act4 LabAnimals With more than 110,000 confirmed human cases worldwide and no sign that the coronavirus is going away, researchers are looking to animals to understand COVID-19. They are testing monkeys, mice and even ferrets. Labs rush to study coronavirus in transgenic animals 16 March 2020
#Act4 LabAnimals Some Member States have set up national animal registers for specific areas of animal use. ENVI Commissioner answers MEP concerns about ‘avoidable’ tests on animals 10 March 2020
#Act4 LabAnimals Gene-edited pigs and brain implants are blurring the lines of what it means to be human, so our morals and laws may need to change to include beings that are “substantially human”. Should animals with human genes or organs be given human rights? 6 March 2020
#Act4 LabAnimals The U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP) Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC) met on 21 February to discuss the critical issues of making toxicology testing more human relevant, as well as micro- and nanoplastics in our environment, among other topics. US National Toxicology Program: more focus on human-relevant non-animal approaches for safety testing 6 March 2020
#Act4 LabAnimals Animal testing, a scientist’s opinion. Interview with Professor Maurice Whelan, head of EURL ECVAM, about animal testing 2 March 2020