The UK Government has announced a new £60m strategy to replace animal testing with cutting-edge human-based technology.
The plan, announced by Science Minister Vallance, aims to phase out animal testing more quickly and is one of the most ambitious roadmaps of its kind in the world.
This comprehensive strategy outlines a vision to maintain the highest standards of public health and environmental safety while moving to safer, more ethical and scientifically advanced alternatives.
Commenting on this ground-breaking initiative, Lord Vallance said: “In our country of animal lovers, no one wants to see suffering. Our plan supports efforts to eliminate animal testing wherever possible and introduce alternatives as soon as they are proven safe and effective.”
“This is a roadmap for governments, businesses and animal rights groups to work together to find faster and more effective alternatives to ending animal testing.”
turning point in science
Animal testing has long been used to assess the safety of medicines, vaccines, and chemicals.
But the UK’s new plans signal a move towards human-related, non-animal research methods that are expected to revolutionize scientific testing.
This initiative emphasizes that the use of animals will only be replaced if proven alternatives can provide equally reliable results.
Backed by £60m of funding, the government will establish a national hub to bring together researchers, regulators and industry.
This hub will accelerate the development and approval of non-animal testing technologies, and the second center will help streamline the regulatory pathways needed to bring these innovations to market.
Harnessing innovation: from AI to organ-on-a-chip
At the heart of this new strategy is cutting-edge innovation. UK scientists will be supported to adopt innovative tools such as:
Organ-on-a-chip system: A miniature device constructed from human cells to mimic the function of a real organ. These chips can simulate complex processes such as metabolism and disease progression, allowing drugs and chemicals to be tested safely and efficiently. Artificial intelligence (AI): Advanced machine learning models can analyze large data sets to predict how new drugs will interact with human biology, reducing the need for animal testing in the early stages of research. 3D bioprinting: Researchers are developing lifelike human tissues, from skin to liver, to test toxicity and drug effects, providing realistic and reproducible models that surpass traditional animal-based experiments.
These innovations promise to not only reduce dependence on animals, but also provide faster and more accurate insights into human health and disease.
Important milestone towards an animal testing-free future
This roadmap sets out clear timelines for phasing out animal testing across several areas of science.
By the end of 2026, all regulatory testing involving animals to assess skin or eye irritation or skin sensitization will cease. By 2027, the practice of using mice to test the strength of Botox will be phased out and replaced with DNA-based tests to detect contamination in medicines.
Further down the road, by 2030, the UK aims to significantly reduce pharmacokinetic studies in dogs and non-human primates – studies that track how drugs move through the body.
These milestones are part of a wider effort to align innovation, safety and compassion in scientific research and strengthen the UK’s position as a global leader in ethical science.
Build on a strong foundation
This new strategy builds on 20 years of progress led by the National Center for Research Animal Replacements (NC3R).
This pioneering organization, supported by millions of dollars in government funding, has already provided alternative testing models in vaccine research and toxicology.
The latest plan was developed in consultation with life science experts, animal welfare organizations and industry leaders.
This represents a joint effort to deliver the Government’s manifesto commitment to improve animal welfare, while advancing the UK’s position at the forefront of biomedical innovation.
Investing in the next generation of science
In addition to the £60m national investment, an additional £15.9m from the Medical Research Council (MRC), Innovation UK and the Wellcome Trust will fund five major research teams.
These teams develop laboratory-developed systems that mimic human in vitro disease models: conditions in the liver, brain, cancer cells, pain pathways, and blood vessels.
Starting next year, young researchers will also be trained in these new techniques, allowing future scientists to conduct research without animals.
industry support
The RSPCA cautiously welcomed the strategy to replace the use of animals in research and testing, saying it was an “important step forward” for both science and animal welfare.
But the charity is now calling on ministers to ensure the actions proposed in the plan are fully implemented. This is a measure that could significantly reduce and eventually replace the use of thousands of animals in harmful experiments across the UK each year.
Bernie Reid, science policy manager at the RSPCA’s animal science division, said: “There has been tremendous momentum in recent years as complex, innovative technologies and new approaches allow us to do better science that is more relevant to humans without harming animals.”
“This strategy sets out clear ambitions to eliminate the use of animals and supports increased access to the infrastructure, collaboration and resources needed to drive the further development and uptake of non-animal methods. This will help UK scientists embrace the high quality, ethical science needed in a rapidly changing world.”
“If this strategy is effectively supported and implemented, it should lay a good foundation for accelerating animal replacement, which would be good news for animals, science and society.”
Global leadership and accountability
Oversight of the new animal testing phase-out strategy will fall to a high-level committee chaired by Lord Vallance, supported by ministers, regulators and funding bodies.
The government plans to publish key performance indicators in 2026 to track progress and maintain transparency.
Further efforts include publishing updated research priorities every two years and ensuring that scientific journals highlight available alternatives. These measures aim to establish the UK as a world leader in regulating and implementing non-animal testing laws.
As technology and ethics converge, the UK roadmap marks a defining moment in the global movement to end animal testing, proving that scientific excellence and compassion can go hand in hand.
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