Tackling the need to teach integrative pharmacology and physiology: problems and ways forward

Despite continued efforts to reduce the numbers of animals used in biomedical research, there are still some research areas in which alternatives cannot be used and animal experimentation is essential. Studies using animals must be carried out by highly trained personnel to ensure experimental success and to minimise pain and distress for the animals. However, recent surveys in the UK have revealed a shortage of skills in techniques involving the use of animals. A survey conducted in 2004 jointly by the British Pharmacological Society and the Physiological Society suggests that only approximately 2% of biomedical graduates in the UK receive training in in vivo experimentation, and that this type of training is likely to be reduced in the future. Evidence from other countries suggests that the problem is widespread. In this article, we discuss the results of the survey by the BPS and the Physiological Society and propose a series of recommendations to address the problem.