The 3R principle
Replace – Reduce – Refine: The concept of the 3Rs began in 1954. Two young researchers prepared a report in which they highlighted the treatment of laboratory animals and possibilities for a more humane science. A lot has changed since then, but our goal – the complete replacement of animal testing in the biomedical field – has not yet been achieved.
Replace, Reduce, Refine
The «3Rs» (also known as the «3R Principle» or the «3R Concept») date back to 1954. At that time, the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare commissioned a young researcher named William Moy Stratten Russell to write a report on the progress of humane research in the laboratory. He was assisted by Rex Burch, later a microbiologist, who traveled the country interviewing hundreds of researchers for this report. They wrote what was then a revolutionary report, the «Principles of Humane Experimental Technique», which was published in 1959 and would lay the foundation for the 3Rs. The report was groundbreaking as it was the first to focus on the welfare of laboratory animals in relation to animal experimentation. The 3Rs of humane research were defined as follows:
Replace
living and sentient laboratory animals should be replaced as far as possible with non-sentient alternatives.
Reduce
the intended experimental goal should be achieved with as few animals as possible.
Refine
the experimental animals used are treated as gently as possible. This refers to the entire life of the animal: breeding, transport, husbandry, testing and, if necessary, killing.
3R in Switzerland
In 1987, the 3R Research Foundation was established as a joint effort of Animalfree Research, the Parliamentary Group on Animal Experimentation and Interpharma. Its aim was to provide financial support for research in the field of alternative methods to animal experiments and to promote the implementation and dissemination of the 3R principles. Until the dissolution of the 3R Foundation in 2018, it was able to complete a total of 146 funded projects. The funding activities of the 3R Research Foundation were transferred to the newly created 3R Competence Center Switzerland 3RCC in 2018.
The 3Rs are no guarantee for animal-free research
Today, the 3Rs are enshrined in many pieces of legislation. However, with the 3Rs principle, animal experiments per se as a method were and are not questioned. Research based on animal experiments is therefore still uncritically supported with taxpayers› money, despite the lack of meaningfulness and transferability of the results to humans. To achieve animal-free research, a paradigm shift in biomedical research is required, which involves moving away from the outdated and error-prone system of animal experimentation towards methods that actually deliver relevant results for humans and their health.
For the phase-out of animal testing
We promote animal-free methods directly and advocate for increased government funding. We are committed to ensuring that animal-free methods are widely used and that animal-free research is established as a binding goal on the basis of a gradual phase-out plan for animal experiments.
