Taking stock: animal testing remains important for brain research
At present, brain research cannot be carried out without testing on animals. This is the conclusion of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) after conducting an inventory among its members. The KNAW would like to contribute to further developing alternatives to animal testing.
Mix of methods and techniques
In the inventory, innovative methods for neuroscience research also emerged. The KNAW has concluded that animal-free methods and techniques may develop further over the next 10 years. However, animal-free research alone is unable to sufficiently answer the most important questions in research. According to the KNAW’s members, research using a mix of methods and techniques will remain necessary.
Dialogue on alternatives
The KNAW would like to contribute to a dialogue between politics, societal organisations and the scientific community on the further development of alternatives for animal testing.
Read more:
- Inventarisatie: 'Het belang van dierproeven en mogelijkheden tot vermindering daarvan in fundamenteel-neurowetenschappelijk onderzoek' (19 July 2019), KNAW, Dutch
- Excellent hersenonderzoek met minder dierproeven (19 July 2019), KNAW, Dutch
- Reactie van het kabinet op de KNAW-inventarisatie (4 July 2019), Dutch