UK Government Unveils Plans to Phase Out Animal Experiments

Tue Nov 11 2025 15:46:33 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The UK government has announced a comprehensive strategy to phase out animal testing, aiming to eliminate certain tests by the end of the year and reduce the use of dogs and primates by 35% by 2030.

In a significant policy shift, the UK government has detailed its plan to phase out animal testing across various scientific fields. This includes replacing specific animal tests with human-cell-based alternatives by the end of 2025 and committing to a significant reduction in the use of dogs and non-human primates by 2030. While some scientists advocate for this move, concerns remain over the feasibility of completely eliminating animal testing due to the complexities of biological research.

The government has detailed for the first time how it aims to fulfil its manifesto pledge to work toward phasing out animal testing.

The new plans include replacing animal testing for some major safety tests by the end of this year and cutting the use of dogs and non-human primates in tests for human medicines by at least 35% by 2030.

The Labour Party said in its manifesto that it would partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing.

Science Minister Lord Vallance told BBC News that he could imagine a day where the use of animals in science was almost completely phased out but acknowledged that it would take time.

Animal experiments in the UK peaked at 4.14 million in 2015 driven mainly by a big increase then in genetic modification experiments – mostly on mice and fish. By 2020, the number had fallen sharply to 2.88 million as alternative methods were developed. But since then that decline has plateaued.

Lord Vallance emphasized replacing animal testing with experiments on animal tissues grown from stem cells, AI, and computer simulations.

According to the government's newly detailed plans, by the end of 2025, scientists will stop using animals for some major safety tests and switch to newer lab methods that utilize human cells instead.

Concerns do linger among the scientific community. Prof Frances Balkwill from Barts Cancer Institute remarked that non-animal methods will never fully replace the complexity seen in whole organisms, implying that achieving near zero animal testing will be challenging.

On the technological frontier, the Centre for Predictive in vitro Models at Queen Mary University is developing organ-on-a-chip technology that holds promise for reducing reliance on animal testing.

The government plan includes an increase in funding for the development of alternatives and the establishment of a Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods to accelerate this transition.

The RSPCA has cautiously welcomed the plan, describing it as a significant step forward, while urging the government to ensure effective implementation.