Animal Welfare Principles for research, testing and teaching

The Three Rs — replacement, reduction and refinement — were first introduced by the authors Russell and Burch in their 1959 book, The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique (available through the Johns Hopkins Alt Web website and the abridged version on the norecopa website). Since then these ideas have become fundamental principles in the area of animal welfare for research, testing and teaching.

Replacement

Accelerating the development and use of predictive and robust models and tools, based on the latest science and technologies, to replace the use of animals in addressing important research questions where they would have otherwise been used.

Reduction

Appropriately designed and analysed animal experiments that are robust and reproducible, and add to the knowledge base.

Refinement

Advancing laboratory animal welfare by exploiting the latest in vivo technologies to minimise pain, suffering and distress and improve understanding of the impact of welfare on scientific outcomes.

Booklets outlining examples of the application of these principles can be found here.