The Irish Anti-Vivisection Society has sent a formal letter to the Irish Minister highlighting the alarming rise in animal use in laboratories, with over 112,000 animals suffering and dying in 2024 alone.
In this letter, we urgently call for a clear national roadmap to phase out animal-based research and replace it with modern, human-relevant non-animal methods (NAMs). We outline practical steps to achieve this, including dedicated investment, education and training in NAMs, stronger legal enforcement, and greater transparency and oversight.
This initiative reflects both scientific progress and growing public demand for ethical, effective alternatives, and we will continue to advocate for meaningful change on your behalf.
Dear Minister,
Over one hundred and twelve thousand animals were abused and died in Irish laboratories in 2024 (latest available stats) - a shameful increase of approximately four and a half thousand on the previous year.
The Irish Anti-Vivisection Society (IAVS) calls on the government – as a matter of urgency – to produce a ‘roadmap’ towards the speedy phasing out of all animal-based testing and research, and the concomitant promotion of human-relevant, non-animal methods (NAMs).* This is achievable - and there is a fast growing public awareness and appetite for such change - but unfortunately, considerable ignorance of NAMS exists - both in the scientific community, and at regulation and government level.
The IAVS proposes the following:
- The establishment of a body specifically for the promotion, development, and validation of NAMs. This would include an audit of NAMs currently in use, and those requiring development
- Foundational training in NAMs for early-career researchers and obligatory continuous professional development (CPD) courses in NAMs for current lecturers and researchers and regulators
- Substantial funding for the development of NAMs, and grants for the fast-tracking of the most promising alternatives to animal-based testing/research
- Strengthen the legal obligation to use NAMs where they exist, and strictly disallow animal-based-methods in all these cases
- Greater transparency and scrutiny of all research and testing applications and funding. Citizens should have a basic right to know how the products they are consuming have been produced and funded
- Greater government oversight of the current HPRA
- Commitment to sharing information on NAMs globally as an ethical obligation
Kind regards,
Catherine Morrow
IAVS Chairperson