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Imprint
Use of transgenic animals in biomedical research in Germany - survey 2001 to 2003 and perspectives to change research to non-animal test methods
Project
Project code: BfR-ZEBET-02-1328-173
Contract period: 01.11.2003
- 29.02.2004
Purpose of research: Applied research
Since the year 2000, the number of transgenic laboratory animals used in Germany has constantly increased by 20,000 to 50,000 animals per year (mostly transgenic mice, but also rats, fish as well as very small numbers of hamsters, rabbits, pigs, sheep and amphibians). An overall rise in the use of laboratory animals is being reported in many Member States of the European Union, and regularly this increase is being attributed to an increased use of transgenic animals. It is against this background that it is the purpose of this survey to obtain an overview over the production and use of transgenic animals in Germany. It is envisaged to identify trends regarding the scientific areas, in which these animals were used, and to spell out those purposes of research, in which experiments with transgenic animals are most frequently performed.In order to point to possibilities to make a contribution to reducing the numbers of laboratory animals in the identified research areas, it is a further aim of this survey to perform an extensive database and literature research to search for non animal test methods that seem adequate to be used instead of the tests with transgenic animals. Such non-animal test methods do not only cover classical methods, such as cell culture methods or QSARs, but in particular non-animal test methods that make use of biotechnological methods. These latter methods seem especially relevant to answer questions that otherwise would be sought for making use of in vivo methods with transgenic animals. Finally, the relevance of such methods to pursuit the 3Rs principle (?replacement, reduction, refinement of animal experiments) according to Russel and Burch (1959) is evaluated.
Section overview
Subjects
- Biotechnology
Framework programme
Funding programme
Excutive institution
BfR - Centre for Documentation and Evaluation of Alternatives to Animal Experiments (BfR - ZEBET)
