Animal research is essential for the development of new medicines and treatments. The British Pharmacological Society supports the humane use of animals in the development of new medicines, and champions the "3Rs" guiding principles of Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement. We are a signatory to the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research in the UK.
The importance of research animals
Animal research advances our knowledge and understanding of how humans and animals work. The use of animals allows us to:
- study diseases
- develop new medicines and treatments
- test the safety of both new medicines and treatments
It is important to realise that if you have ever taken a medicine, had a blood test or undergone kidney dialysis, you have benefited from animal research.
The use of animals in research depends on the scientific question. A lot of initial research to develop new medicines or treatments involves the use of :
- databases
- computer modelling
- cells grown in culture
This can help to understand, for example, how genes might affect how a cell works. Cultured cells also allow us to screen potential “new medicines” for medicine-like activity.
Some aspects of this research may need to use tissues or organs (for example a heart or a muscle) taken from an animal. This allows for the testing of potential medicines.
Sometimes, research requires the use of whole animals. This can help find out:
- how the body treats a medicine
- how much of a medicine it takes to produce its medical effect
- the safe dose
Humans and animals share many basic processes. Studies in animals can provide important information before moving into research in humans.
The Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of animals in research (3Rs)
The 3Rs are the foundation of the UK laws regulating the use of research animals. We support the application of the 3Rs. We recognise that they are essential for ensuring high standards of animal welfare. This results in high-quality, reproducible and reliable research.
Use of research animals curriculum
The Use of research animals curriculum aims to support the next generation of researchers in gaining the education, skills and understanding of animal welfare needed to carry out these vital studies.
Experimental design eLearning collection
The British Pharmacological Society supports in vivo education and training and recognises the need to close skills gaps across the sector.
Our free eLearning resources on the topic of experimental design serve as a useful learning and teaching tool for anyone needing to analyse literature and/or data generated from studies involving research animals. We produced these resources with the help of our member experts and other leading organisations in the sector, including NC3Rs. They are ideal for undergraduates on any biosciences degree.
Modules
The modules cover a series of topics with more topics under development. Those currently available include:
- Types of experiment - perfect for those who are required to design experiments and want to ensure that they are capable of achieving the research’s objectives. Gain a deeper understanding of how the objectives of an experiment can impact its design through this informative guide.
- Blinding - aimed at anyone who needs to analyse literature and/or data generated from studies involving research animals. Blinding (or masking) is the process where those involved in a study are kept unaware of group assignment. This resource explains why it is an integral part of good experimental design.
- Experimental unit - provides valuable insight into the significance of identifying the “experimental unit” for designing and analysing experiments. This content is crucial for anyone who needs to analyse literature or data from any experiment, with examples that are particularly relevant to in vivo research animals and/or in vitro tissues.
Browse all of the Experiment design modules.
How to use the modules
We recognise that educators have limited time to create their own teaching content. Therefore, these free resources can be used as blended learning tools to compliment degree modules without excessively increasing students’ or educators’ time burden.
Each resource contains the following content which can be used in part or in full:
- an animation video introducing core concepts
- a series of formative multiple-choice questions
- additional learning tasks, such as a literature review
How do I access these resources?
The resources are available in a special Experimental Design section of the BPS Assessment (BPSA) website. These modules are not listed in the main area of the BPSA site and so can only be accessed using the direct link: https://portal.bpsassessment.com/experimental-design/
These products are free. To access them, please complete the checkout (you won’t be charged) and you will be sent an email with your login credentials to access your free products.
We advise that you access these resources via the Google Chrome browser.
We would appreciate any feedback on the content, so please get in touch.
An evaluation of the Integrative Pharmacology Fund: Lessons for the future of in vivo education and training
Published December 2016
This collaborative report was commissioned by the British Pharmacological Society. The research was carried out by investigators at the University of Exeter, supported by a project team from the Society. The final report and recommendations were subsequently endorsed by the Society’s Council.
