This seminar will examine the state of alternatives to animal testing, the implementation of the 3Rs - Replacement, Refinement and Reduction – worldwide.
The EU member states have a long tradition of incorporating the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) into laws and policies. The tradition has extended to the organic documents that underlie the European Union (i.e., Article 13 of the Lisbon Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union). For example, EU’s chemical regulation (REACH), the Directive on the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes (2010/63/EU), and Cosmetics Regulation incorporate animal welfare into their basic policy schemes.
As in vitro, computational and other non-animal based approaches in toxicology have evolved, more and more nations have begun to incorporate 3Rs principles into their national laws and regulatory schemes.
This workshop will examine the state of the implementation of the 3Rs worldwide, with a focus on EU leadership and how the EU can continue its forward-looking approach to the 3Rs. The workshop will also assist in identifying ways to ensure high quality science and global consistency through opportunities for harmonization.