The Merck "3 Baskets" approach for creating roadmaps to phase out animal testing

Area of Science:

• Chemical safety assessment
• Pharmaceutical industry
• Animal testing alternatives

Background:

• Global roadmaps aim to phase out animal testing in chemical safety and pharmaceuticals.
• Regulatory bodies like the European Commission and US FDA are driving this transition.
• Industry initiatives are crucial for developing and implementing alternative methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present Merck KGaA's 4R program (Replace, Reduce, Refine, Responsibility) for reducing animal testing.
• To outline a strategic 3-basket approach for categorizing and managing animal tests.
• To achieve significant reductions in animal testing by 2032 and 2040.

Main Methods:

• Categorization of animal tests into three baskets: Adoption, Adaptation, and Assessment.
• Focus on achievable alternatives for immediate implementation.
• Strategic investment in research for future replacement strategies.

Main Results:

• A structured approach to reduce animal testing by 50% by 2032 and 75% by 2040.
• Identification of tests with available alternatives (Basket 1), in-development alternatives (Basket 2), and those needing new strategies (Basket 3).
• A collaborative agreement by EFPIA members to adopt the 3-basket approach.

Conclusions:

• The 3-basket strategy provides actionable milestones for replacing animal testing.
• This approach fosters ethical and sustainable scientific practices.
• Industry-wide collaboration, like the EFPIA agreement, is key to advancing animal testing alternatives.