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Replace, reduce and refine: the 3Rs of animal studies

GSK researches, develops, and manufactures consumer health products, medicines, and vaccines for humans.  Research using animals is a small, yet vital, part of developing new medicines and vaccines.  When animals are used in research, we are committed to acting ethically and practising good animal welfare.

A key aspect of animal welfare is covered by what the biomedical community refers to as the three Rs (3Rs). These Rs are:  

• replacing research using animals with other methods where possible
• reducing the number of animals used in research
• refining techniques to minimise pain and distress and improve the welfare of animals.

How GSK ensures the 3Rs are put into practice

Our scientists always try to devise experiments that do not require animals. When that is not possible, the researchers work to design experiments that allow us to obtain the necessary information from the smallest number of animals possible, with the least effect on individual animals.

Our research and development teams search relevant literature that help us carry out good science to replace, reduce and refine our animal testing.  Furthermore, our policy addressing animal research requires study designs be reviewed by an ethical panel, which considers the 3Rs and alternatives to animal studies prior to the approval of studies.  

The 3Rs in practice

Over the years, our researchers have identified many ways of replacing, reducing, and refining animal research.  For example, we have:

• replaced some research in animals with computer simulations and ‘in vitro’ techniques, where tests are done on individual cells, cultures or tissues
• applied statistical methods to our work, so that we can be confident in results obtained using many fewer animals
• introduced the use of imaging that can track physical and chemical changes caused by treatment over time in the same animals, instead of comparing treated animals at different stages with a population of control (i.e. non-treated) animals

You can read about specific examples of how we apply the 3Rs in our animal testing.

How our work is monitored

Our animals are looked after throughout their lives by qualified, trained staff.  A veterinarian is onsite or on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Regulatory bodies visit our facilities regularly - many of these visits are unannounced. 

In addition, our animal facilities in Belgium, Croatia, Italy, Spain, UK, and US are accredited by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC-I).  This independent group reviews and assesses our animal care programme against published standards and industry practices.

We are working to extend this accreditation to our animal facilities.

Working with others

We share our practices with other scientists and regulatory authorities and publish the results of our research in scientific journals.  This helps all of us work towards the 3Rs.  

We are also involved with other organisations that aim to reduce the need for animal testing and promote animal welfare including, but not limited too:

• UK National Centre for the 3Rs
• European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM)
• European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA)
• The Fund for Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments (FRAME)
• Center on Alternatives for Animal Testing (CAAT)
• Scientist Center for Animal Welfare  (SCAW)
• Institute for Laboratory Animal Research  (ILAR)

Awards for putting the 3Rs into practice

We believe that it’s important that individual efforts to achieve the 3Rs are recognised. So we offer an Animal Welfare Award to those in GSK who successfully develop alternative testing methods and other practices that demonstrate our commitment to the 3Rs.

We also sponsor the annual UK National Centre for the 3Rs prize, which recognises published work that advances, or has the potential to advance, knowledge in the 3Rs.

The bottom line

Animal testing is costly and animals require a high level of care by trained specialists.  Non-animal alternatives are used whenever possible; but at this point, animal studies are still needed to discover and develop new therapies for human – and animal – diseases. 

 

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