Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals 2011: another increase in experimentation, but is there a shift...

The 2011 Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals reveal that the level of animal experimentation in Great Britain continues to rise, with almost 3.8 million procedures being conducted. Unlike those in previous years, this increase is not exclusively due to the breeding and utilisation of genetically altered animals, although they are still involved in the greatest proportion of procedures. That a shift toward fundamental research may have become the primary cause of increases in animal experiments is discussed. The general trends in the species used, and the numbers and types of procedures, are reviewed. In addition, some areas of concern and optimism are outlined.