UK Roadmap to Phase Out Animal Testing Accelerates
The UK government has launched a comprehensive roadmap to accelerate the replacement of animal testing with alternative methods, backed by £75 million in funding.
The strategy supports researchers with new tools such as organ-on-a-chip systems, AI-driven predictions, and 3D bioprinted tissues, while setting specific targets to phase out tests on animals for skin and eye irritation, botox, adventitious agent testing, and pharmacokinetic studies by 2030.
The plan includes a preclinical translational models hub, a UK Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (UKCVAM), regular research priority updates, training for early-career researchers, and an oversight committee. Funding from the MRC, Innovate UK, and Wellcome Trust will support five teams developing human in vitro disease models for liver, brain, cancer, pain, and blood vessels. The strategy has been welcomed by animal welfare, industry, and scientific organisations as a practical, science-led approach to phasing out animal use while maintaining high standards in human and animal health research.
