Integration of the principles for more ethical use of animals in medicine testing

The report published by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) sums up all the measures taken by the Agency’s committees in 2016-2017 – the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) and the Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP) – to maintain the integration of the new 3Rs principles for more ethical use of animals in medicine testing in the EU countries. They imply the following actions by the 3Rs principles: Replace (switch from studies on animal to non-animal research methods), Reduce (use as few animals as possible) and Refine (reduce the stress animals experience).

Although the final goal of all these measures is to substitute the use of live animals in medical research to non-animal methods, it is still necessary to use animals while conducting research in ecology and in keeping human and animal health. And it is impossible to refuse from using animals until the new appropriate alternatives show up. According to the EU legislation, all marketing authorization holders must implement the 3Rs principals in all stages of the development, production and, testing of medicines.

The Joint CVMP/CHMP 3Rs Working Group (J3RsWG) is a dedicated, long-term working group whose responsibilities include consulting the above-mentioned committees regarding all aspects of using animals in regulatory testing of medicines.

Source: EMA.