Research Animals

Laboratory Animal Welfare and the 3Rs Framework

The 3Rs framework of Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement provides the ethical foundation for laboratory animal welfare worldwide, but implementation remains inconsistent.

Key Facts

Around 3 million procedures are carried out on animals in UK laboratories annually
Mice account for around 60% of all experimental procedures
The 3Rs were first articulated by Russell and Burch in 1959
Many countries still lack binding 3Rs requirements in animal research law
Organoids and in vitro models are increasingly replacing animal models in some fields

Welfare Considerations

Animals used in research experience pain, distress, and invasive procedures. The 3Rs framework requires replacement wherever possible, reduction of numbers to the statistical minimum, and refinement of procedures to minimise suffering. In practice, the framework is applied unevenly, and funding pressures can disincentivise investment in replacement technologies.

What You Can Do

Support the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) and similar bodies
Advocate for increased funding for non-animal research methods
Ask pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies about their animal testing policies
Support legislation requiring 3Rs compliance in all animal research
Engage with ethical review processes that assess animal research proposals