problems and challenges of getting and disseminating...

Problems and challenges of getting and disseminating informationon the Three Rs within your role as an 'educator'

Lisbeth E. Knudsen, PhD Professor in toxicology Environmental Health

President of ECOPA European Consensus Platform for Alternatives

Member of DACOPA

PROBLEMs in getting engagement in replacement

TRADITIONS favouring animal studiesSOPS in the Laboratory, publications, age of professor

PREJUDICES/SCEPTISM towards introducing new methodsWill not work, no comparative measures, not scientific

LACK OF RELEVANCE which can be stated asIn our area we have always used animal models

LACK OF EXAMPLESThe 3R area is still developing and need more substantiationValidationHuman relevance

LACK OF TOOLSDatabases under development/diverseNo full overview

Lisbeth E. Knudsen 2012Dias 2

Environmental health

CHALLENGES

Engagement

Entusiasm

Practice

Justification:

WHEN applying for EU-funded supportResearch involving animals: When applying for ethical

approval from the competent local/national Ethics/legal bodies, detailed information should be provided on why living animals have to be used and why that species has been chosen.

In addition, information should be given on the numbers of animals to be used in experiments, the nature of the experiments, the procedures that will be carried out and their anticipated impact (e.g. potential for pain, suffering, distress and lasting harm) and how that has been minimised.

Furthermore, details should be provided on what procedures have been implemented to ensure the welfare of the animals during their lives (e.g. husbandry, minimising harms, criteria for humane endpoints, inspection protocols). The applicant should provide evidence of awareness of relevant European legislation and regulations covering animal experimentation and that the Principle of the Three Rs will be rigorously applied.



Alternatives within “Replacement”

• Structure analogy (QSAR)

• Analogy with related substances – read across

• Testing of human (or animal) cell-cultures

• Testing of human volunteers, evt patients



NEW APPROACHES





Regulatory Research Education

Refinement Humane end points (HEP)Step-by-step approach

Imaging (early detection of pathologies, related to HEP)Systematic reviewsInformation sharing, networkingHEPTraining/positive reinforcement“lower” species

DemonstrationDummySkills training

Reduction International harmonisationStep-by-step approachStatistics, meta-analysisCombining treatments (e.g. combination serology)-omics

Systematic reviewsStatistics/experimental designCombining research-omics“lower” species (e.g. drosophila instead of vertebrates)

Surplus catch (fish)Demonstration

Replacement In vitroRisk assessment approachQsars“lower” species

In vitroQsarsIn silicoSystematic reviews“lower” species

FilmDVD (interactive)DummiesComputer modelsinvertebrates

KEY QUESTIONS

1. Problems of finding information on alternatives and the Three RsEU could open a website. TEXTBOOKS etc

2. problems you face when trying to pass on information on the Three Rs to those being educatedThis is a long exercise starting in schools and including many elemnets of ethics, moral, flexibility, breaking of traditions

3. How can the information on the latest developments of the Three Rs be made more easily accessible to educatorsThe EU website, ECVAM providing an education corner

4. What best practice you could propose to improve the information flowFinancial promotion of 3R in any relevant occasion

HORIZON 2020



problems and challenges of getting and disseminating...

Documents