SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Study Finds 115 Million Animals Ued in Tests Worldwide
Aug 13, 2008
About 115 million animals were used in scientific research globally in 2005, according to an estimate based on official national figures and extrapolations from the number of scientific papers that were published involving animals.
The vast majority of the animals used were rodents (83.5%) with primates, cats and dogs making up 0.15%, 0.06% and 0.24% of the total respectively.
The 115 million figure was difficult to compile because recording criteria differed greatly from country to country. Only 37 countries had even partial national figures, while the researchers estimated the numbers for a further 142 countries based on the number of publications involving animals that came out in 2006.
The global estimate was put together jointly by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection and the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research and is published in the journal Alternatives to Laboratory Animals. "It is shocking that so few countries consider it important even to count the number of animals suffering in their laboratories," said the groups.
"It is impossible to have a clear and honest debate about the role of animal experiments in the 21st century when the official number of animals involved is outrageously underestimated."
The final figure is also inflated by animals that would not be included in the UK figures - for example surplus animals produced during breeding which are not used in research and animals that are humanely killed so that their organs or blood can be used for research purposes.
In Britain, researchers must record the number of animals they use, the number of procedures they carry out and the number of breeding animals used in GM breeding. But in the US, the largest user of research animals - more than 17 million according to the researchers' estimate - official figures do not include mice, rats, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians.
Most countries record no figures at all and Liechtenstein and San Marino are the only countries to have banned research involving animals altogether.
(c) 2008 The Guardian
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
About 115 million animals were used in scientific research globally in 2005, according to an estimate based on official national figures and extrapolations from the number of scientific papers that were published involving animals.
The vast majority of the animals used were rodents (83.5%) with primates, cats and dogs making up 0.15%, 0.06% and 0.24% of the total respectively.
The 115 million figure was difficult to compile because recording criteria differed greatly from country to country. Only 37 countries had even partial national figures, while the researchers estimated the numbers for a further 142 countries based on the number of publications involving animals that came out in 2006.
The global estimate was put together jointly by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection and the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research and is published in the journal Alternatives to Laboratory Animals. "It is shocking that so few countries consider it important even to count the number of animals suffering in their laboratories," said the groups.
"It is impossible to have a clear and honest debate about the role of animal experiments in the 21st century when the official number of animals involved is outrageously underestimated."
The final figure is also inflated by animals that would not be included in the UK figures - for example surplus animals produced during breeding which are not used in research and animals that are humanely killed so that their organs or blood can be used for research purposes.
In Britain, researchers must record the number of animals they use, the number of procedures they carry out and the number of breeding animals used in GM breeding. But in the US, the largest user of research animals - more than 17 million according to the researchers' estimate - official figures do not include mice, rats, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians.
Most countries record no figures at all and Liechtenstein and San Marino are the only countries to have banned research involving animals altogether.
(c) 2008 The Guardian
About 115 million animals were used in scientific research globally in 2005, according to an estimate based on official national figures and extrapolations from the number of scientific papers that were published involving animals.
The vast majority of the animals used were rodents (83.5%) with primates, cats and dogs making up 0.15%, 0.06% and 0.24% of the total respectively.
The 115 million figure was difficult to compile because recording criteria differed greatly from country to country. Only 37 countries had even partial national figures, while the researchers estimated the numbers for a further 142 countries based on the number of publications involving animals that came out in 2006.
The global estimate was put together jointly by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection and the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research and is published in the journal Alternatives to Laboratory Animals. "It is shocking that so few countries consider it important even to count the number of animals suffering in their laboratories," said the groups.
"It is impossible to have a clear and honest debate about the role of animal experiments in the 21st century when the official number of animals involved is outrageously underestimated."
The final figure is also inflated by animals that would not be included in the UK figures - for example surplus animals produced during breeding which are not used in research and animals that are humanely killed so that their organs or blood can be used for research purposes.
In Britain, researchers must record the number of animals they use, the number of procedures they carry out and the number of breeding animals used in GM breeding. But in the US, the largest user of research animals - more than 17 million according to the researchers' estimate - official figures do not include mice, rats, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians.
Most countries record no figures at all and Liechtenstein and San Marino are the only countries to have banned research involving animals altogether.
(c) 2008 The Guardian
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy