Policy

Transposing the European Directive on animal research into UK law

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The Academy is working together with partner organisations to provide advice to the Home Office, as the UK's legislation which regulates animal research is renewed this year.

In February 2012, the Academy supported an All Party Parliamentary Group on Medical Research meeting to brief Parliamentarians on animal research. Further information is available here.

Why is UK law on animal research being revised?

The European Directive on the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes came into force in September 2010. See timeline. The Directive is intended to harmonise animal research standards and practices across Europe, and makes provisions for many aspects of research involving animals.

The Directive must be ‘transposed’ into UK national legislation by November 2012. This process involves the alignment of the UK’s existing legislation (the Animals Scientific Procedure Act (1986)) with the new Directive. The Animals in Scientific Procedures Division of the Home Office are leading this work. 

The Academy has responded to the Home Office's recent consultation on how the Directive should be transposed, and also contributed to a cross-sector response coordinated by the UK Bioscience Sector Collaboration. 

The Home Office have also recently invited comments on a new Code of Practice which is in development.

For further information please contact Laura.Boothman@acmedsci.ac.uk

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• Academy response to Home Office consultation [247.5k]
• APPGMR briefing [340.42k]

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