Animal testing: Saar University sets new standards for animal welfare!

Animal testing: Saar University sets new standards for animal welfare!

International Laboratory Animal Day is celebrated on April 24th. On the occasion of this date, Saarland University provides comprehensive information about the role of animal experiments in biomedical research. The institution has set itself the goal of conveying an objective, transparent and scientifically based perspective. Animal experiments are necessary because many processes and diseases cannot be researched exclusively through cell cultures or computer simulations.

The main research areas at the university include neurological and cardiological diseases as well as cancer research. One example is prostate cancer research, which requires complex animal models to adequately study the complexity of the disease. It is important to mention that animal testing is subject to strict legal regulations and ethical standards. Approval from the responsible authority is always required. This shows the responsibility that researchers have regarding the treatment and use of animals.

Advances in animal welfare

In order to ensure the well-being of the laboratory animals, Saarland University has strengthened its animal protection officer position. This is supported by veterinarians. A simulator center for training young doctors was also set up. A central aspect of the university is the active effort to reduce and replace animal testing, the so-called 3R principle: Replace, Reduce, Refine.

The 3R-Saar platform was set up to record replacement methods for animal testing. The Homburg Colloquium “Animal Protection & Laboratory Animal Science” will also take place on June 25th and 26th, 2025. These initiatives are no coincidence, as the number of laboratory animals used in Saarland was reduced by 30 percent from 2020 to 2023; In 2023, a total of 16,806 test animals were used, the majority of which were mice (95%), followed by rats. However, there are also fluctuations in the number of laboratory animals, influenced by project-related funding and professorships.

Ethical foundations of animal testing

The 3R principle, which describes the ethical principles for animal experiments, was formulated in 1959 by William Russell and Rex Burch in their work “The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique”. It requires that animal testing only be approved if no alternative methods are available. It is also necessary to reduce the number of animals to a minimum and to make the experiments as less stressful as possible.

At the Max Delbrück Center (MDC) in Berlin, scientists and animal husbandry staff consistently implement the 3R principle. Its goal is to improve the well-being of laboratory animals while increasing the quality of scientific research. The use of innovative methods and technologies aims to reduce the number of animals required or even to eliminate the use of animals altogether. These efforts are in line with animal protection regulations and contribute to the further development of research approaches.

In summary, it can be said that Saarland University and institutions like the MDC make a positive contribution to animal protection with their initiatives and research while at the same time creating the necessary conditions for scientific progress. Participation in the “Transparent Animal Experiments Initiative” also promotes an objective, public discussion about this important topic.

Further information is available on the websites of Saarland University, des Max Delbrück Center, and that German Research Association to find.