Animal Testing Perspectives » Admin http://animaltestingperspectives.org Animal testing & research dialogue Mon, 17 Nov 2014 14:20:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.3.2 Whoosh! There goes another deadline http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2013/news-and-interviews/policy-news-and-interviews/whoosh-there-goes-another-deadline/ http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2013/news-and-interviews/policy-news-and-interviews/whoosh-there-goes-another-deadline/#comments Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:28:09 +0000 http://animaltestingperspectives.org/?p=1339 directive 2010/63“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.”

                      – Douglas Adams

 

It had all been going so well. The path EU legislation must navigate is notoriously complex. Consultations, proposals, amendments – input from MEPs and compromises between national governments – the road is long and winding.

But for the EU’s directive on how animals are used in medical research, this lengthy process appeared to have produced a compromise which governments agreed would raise standards of animal welfare, reduce red tape by harmonising rules across Europe, and promote the 3Rs.

Scientists, some of whom initially worried that the new rules would make research more difficult, had their say during the consultation period and broadly accepted the final outcome. Yes, there will always be some who hope for less regulation – just as others will be disappointed that the law could not go further – but EU policy is a world of compromise and this directive looked to have struck a reasonable balance after a robust debate.

So you might have expected that the final step in the journey – turning the EU directive into national law – would be the least complex. Not so!

All 27 Member States should have had laws, regulations, and administrative provisions in place by November 2012 so that these could be in force by the beginning of this year.

At last count, most governments were behind schedule and struggling to meet the deadline. Perhaps this is because not all costs could have been anticipated at adoption of the directive and only now has everyone realised some additional bureaucratic and financial burdens that stem from the way countries interpret the provisions.

While local political and economic crises might be dominating the agenda in several Member States, the directive has been coming down the tracks for some time, so its transposition ought to be a fairly routine technical matter.

 

Never-ending story

The painstaking process of agreeing on a final EU text has been concluded; the debate is over – or at least it should be…

Let’s look at Italy as an example. Efforts to transpose the directive into Italian law have been complicated by amendments proposed by Italian politicians. Scientists in Italy have already raised concerns about this, warning that medical research in Italy could be jeopardised if the country fails to implement European law.

Italy, which has endured its share of controversies over animal research in recent months, could even be hit with fines for non-compliance with a law its government signed up to.

Are national parliaments set to re-fight the battles that were fought before the directive was agreed?

And, in light of our Shall It Stay or Shall it Go debate, is this the latest signal that animal research is no longer welcome in Europe? If so, what would this mean for European patients and for animal welfare standards?

 

We want to hear from you

 

 

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Understanding Animal Research http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/understanding-animal-research/ http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/understanding-animal-research/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:25:43 +0000 http://efpia-arp.zn.be/?p=282 A UK organization that aims to achieve broad understanding and acceptance of the humane use of animals in biomedical research, to advance science and medicine. This platform was formed in 2008 when Research Defence Society and Coalition for Medical Progress merged.
http://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk

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Kids for research http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/kids-for-research/ http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/kids-for-research/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:25:00 +0000 http://efpia-arp.zn.be/?p=280 A website that provides information to students, teachers and parents about responsible laboratory animal care and use in biomedical research, testing and education.
http://www.kids4research.org/

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International Network for Humane Education (InterNICHE) http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/international-network-for-humane-education-interniche/ http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/international-network-for-humane-education-interniche/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:24:22 +0000 http://efpia-arp.zn.be/?p=278 An NGO that supports progressive science teaching and the replacement of animal experiments by working with teachers to introduce alternatives, and with students to support freedom of conscience.
http://www.interniche.org/

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International Council on Animal Protection in OECD Programmes (ICAPO) http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/international-council-on-animal-protection-in-oecd-programmes-icapo/ http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/international-council-on-animal-protection-in-oecd-programmes-icapo/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:23:46 +0000 http://efpia-arp.zn.be/?p=276 A formal voice at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an influential international organisation that develops guidelines and programmes for the testing of chemicals. ICAPO seeks to ensure the widest possible integration of alternative methods in the OECD guidelines and programmes.
http://www.icapo.org/

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Eurogroup for Animals http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/eurogroup-for-animals/ http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/eurogroup-for-animals/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:22:59 +0000 http://efpia-arp.zn.be/?p=274 An association representing animal welfare organisations in Europe. It ensures that animal welfare is taken into account in all relevant European policy areas and that European laws designed to protect animals are adopted and enforced.
http://www.eurogroupforanimals.org

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Animal Research For Life http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/animal-research-for-life/ http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/animal-research-for-life/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:22:07 +0000 http://efpia-arp.zn.be/?p=272 An online resource to provide a brief overview of where and why animals are used in biomedical research, what animal testing facilities look like, and the current status on alternatives, sponsored by the pharmaceutical and medical world.
http://www.animalresearchforlife.eu

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Animal Research Info http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/animal-research-info/ http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/animal-research-info/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:21:26 +0000 http://efpia-arp.zn.be/?p=270 An international collaboration of scientists and researchers providing content giving the consensus opinion. If there is not yet consensus then those mainstream theories with the most supporting evidence are considered, and their flaws noted. All content is fully referenced, peer-reviewed, scientific research which registered scientists may edit at any time.
www.animalresearch.info

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World Animal Health organization (OIE) http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/world-animal-health-organization-oie/ http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/world-animal-health-organization-oie/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:20:02 +0000 http://efpia-arp.zn.be/?p=268 The intergovernmental organisation responsible for improving animal health worldwide.
http://www.oie.int/eng/en_index.htm

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European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA) http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/european-partnership-for-alternative-approaches-to-animal-testing-epaa/ http://animaltestingperspectives.org/2011/resources/european-partnership-for-alternative-approaches-to-animal-testing-epaa/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:19:32 +0000 http://efpia-arp.zn.be/?p=266 A public-private partnership between the European Commission and six industry sectors to pool knowledge and resources on 3Rs methods and strategies.
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/epaa/index_en.htm

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