In November 2025 the UK Government published its promised strategy to phase out animal testing. Despite some animal advocacy organizations welcoming the document, our reading concurs with those who feel it represents a 'smokescreen to buy time for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries'. (Dr Andre Menache, leading scientific expert on medical research)
Dr Menache's full commentary on the strategy or roadmap can be accessed here .
In contrast to the US Administration which acknowledges that 'animals do not provide adequate models of human health and disease' (US Food and Drug Administration, April 2025), the UK government insists that 'the use of animals in science provides an insight into human and animal biology and disease'. This is perhaps unsurprising given that the strategy lead was Lord Patrick Vallance, a proponent of animal research.
Phasing out animal experiments is seen as a long-term goal but as this statement makes clear, total abolition is not predicted: 'Our vision is for a world where the use of animals in research and development is eliminated in all but exceptional circumstances achieved by creating a research and innovation system that replaces animals with alternative methods wherever possible.’
It seems that despite approximately 150 years of organized opposition to vivisection, there is still work to be done to bring an end to all animal experiments.
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