Identifying Key Factors for Accelerating the Transition to Animal-Testing-Free Medical Science through Co-Creative, Interdisciplinary Learning between Students and Teachers

Abstract

Even with the introduction of the replacement, reduction, refinement (the three Rs) approach and promising technological developments in animal-testing-free alternatives over the past two decades, a significant number of animal tests are still performed in medical science today. This article analyses which factors could accelerate the transition to animal-free medical science, applying the multi-level perspective (MLP) framework. The analysis was based on qualitative research, including a desk study (literature review and document analysis), lectures from experts, and nine online focus group sessions with experts on 26 July 2021. These were undertaken as part of an honours project between May and September 2021 to identify barriers, levers, and opportunities for accelerating this transition. The MLP framework identifies required changes at three levels: innovations and new practices (niche level), the current (bio)medical research system (regime level), and larger societal forces (landscape level). All three levels interact in a non-linear fashion. The model enabled us to identify many relevant factors influencing the transition to animal-testing-free medical science and enabled priority setting. Our findings supported the formulation of six “focus areas” to which stakeholders could devote efforts in order to accelerate the transition to animal-testing-free medical science: (1) thorough and translatable new approach methods (NAMs) for human-relevant medical research; (2) open science and sharing data; (3) targeted funding for NAMs; (4) implementing and modernising legislation for NAMs; (5) interdisciplinary education on animal-testing-free medical science; and (6) facilitating a shift in societal views, as this would be of benefit to both animals and humans. It is proposed that these focus areas should be implemented in parallel.

Challenging Future Generations: A Qualitative Study of Students’ Attitudes toward the Transition to Animal-Free Innovations in Education and Research

“…This suggests that there are some students who are aware that the transition regards society as a whole and are willing to contribute to it with different expertise. Whilst education on particular animal-free techniques is currently available in some curricula, our participants and other studies report that it is not mandatory [15]. Furthermore, universities still lack courses that focus on developing critical skills regarding the positioning of animal-free innovations and experimental design.…”

“…Recent research [15,16] has mapped current barriers to the implementation of animalfree methods, delivering a complex landscape of governmental, regulatory, and societal roadblocks that need to be addressed to facilitate the transition. Inadequate funding for non-animal research, lack of data sharing among research institutions, and outdated regulatory requirements are often identified as important constraints.…”

“…Inadequate funding for non-animal research, lack of data sharing among research institutions, and outdated regulatory requirements are often identified as important constraints. While technological advancements and policy-driven initiatives continue to occupy a top priority on the transition agenda, scholars conclude that technical solutions alone are ultimately insufficient to support broad systematic changes [15,17]. Lohse (2022), for instance, argues that the 'inertia' of the scientific community in proactively supporting the development and sharing of knowledge regarding animal-free methods is partially determined by important socio-epistemic factors such as dogmatic research culture, an overreliance on tradition, and unwillingness to critically revise established practices [17] (p. 44).…”

Reporting of 3Rs Approaches in Preclinical Animal Experimental Studies—A Nationwide Study

“…More openness in exchanging information between colleague researchers is considered the most critical factor for better use of 3Rs knowledge [11]. To accelerate the efforts to disseminate 3Rs approaches accordingly, transition science may be a feasible route to disclose how all stakeholders (e.g., funders, institutions that accommodate animal experiments, researchers, and legislators) can interact to achieve this [32,33]. Transitions can be seen as a development from a current regime to a new, desired, more-sustainable regime, e.g., transition science on replacement aims to understand how to govern the shift towards phasing in new animal-free methods and how to phase out animal testing in the current system.…”

“…This status quo is backed by regulations, industry norms, and practices. "The landscape level" represents society at large, where societal values, attitudes of regulators, economics, academia, and technical advancements shape both the regime and niche levels [32,33]. It may even be that new alternatives putting an additional workload on researchers themselves may become apparent.…”