Reply to my letter

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Below is an answer I got to a letter asking that they consider alternative methods to animal testing for the new EU rules which will mean millions more animals being used.

 

Jo

 

 

Thank you for your letter in which you express concern about the use of animals for testing under proposed new EU Chemicals Policy.

 

The UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum wrote to the Government in April last year stating that it strongly believes that animal testing should be kept to the minimum necessary to protect human health and the environment. The Forum believes that the Government approach should include clear positions in favour of the sharing of chemical test data, avoiding test duplication, increasing transparency and stimulating stakeholder participation in policy decisions relating to animal testing for chemical safety assessment. The Forum highlighted the need for a transparent and co-ordinated Government approach to the funding and development of non-animal, alternative test methods.

 

In reply to the Forum’s letter the Government said that it shared the Forum’s concerns about the potential impact of the proposals for new EU chemicals legislation. It assured us that, in responding to the proposals, it would argue that animals should only be used when opportunities for data sharing have been exhausted, when there is no reasonable practicable non-animal alternative test available and when all opportunities for minimisation and refinement have been taken into account. More recently, in reply to the House of Lords Select Committee on Animals in Scientific Procedures the Government stated that it will continue to support the work of European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM). It also welcomed the liaison between ECVAM and the International Co-ordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) as a means of achieving greater progress, more quickly and ensuring commitment from more than one economic region.

 

For your information, the budget for ECVAM for the period 2003-2006 increased to 35.2M Euros compared with 24.7M for the previous period. The part of the budget which covers validation studies increased from 8M to 12 M Euros for 2003-2006. This budget is not considered to be a limiting factor in the validation of alternative methods. However, should the situation change, further funds will be made available.

 

The Chemicals Stakeholder Forum takes an active interest in the development of proposals for the new European Chemicals Strategy with the issue of the replacement of animals in testing procedures being one of its most important considerations.

 

 

 

 

Secretariat of the UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum

 

 

 

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