Current regulations in the Animal Welfare Act and the significance for animal research

Abstract

Due to the legal implantation of the 3Rprinciple, the number of laboratory animals decreased significantly over the past 10years. In this article, the historical development of animal experiments over the last decade will be presented in the context of the current regulations of the Animal Welfare Act. It points out bureaucratic obstacles to the approval of animal experiments, which jeopardize Germany as aresearch location for both academia and industry. The article presents constructive proposals for solutions. This should be done in accordance with the DFG recommendation to ensure efficient biomedical research while maintaining the highest animal welfare standards.