The threat of animal rights extremism to the UK science base has been a defining theme of the debate about animal research in the UK for the last decade. But just as that threat is appearing to subside, new problems appear.
The prospect of a slow death for high-quality animal research in the UK at the hands of excessive regulation, increasing costs and a declining skills base is looming ever closer. By the time our international competitors gain ground on us, it will be already too late.
But the good news is that the problems are at least being recognised, and plans are in place to put things right. A new report has just been published into animal research skills for the future.
The report was led by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and Biosciences Federation (BSF) and titled ‘In vivo sciences in the UK: sustaining the supply of skills in the 21st century’ (available as a PDF on the BSF website).
The report is described as a ‘proposed action plan’ to encourage students to develop skills in animal research. It is considered necessary because of a growing difficulty in finding staff with appropriate in vivo skills. And it calls for measures to raise student interest in developing such skills as well as a joint drive to provide employer-focused post-graduate degrees.
Let’s hope these recommendations are taken forward, and that action on the problems of costs and red tape can be tackled too. Yesterday’s report in The Times about excessive regulation in science makes grim reading. One researcher said ’I have given up animal-based research due to the bureaucracy and time-wasting involved‘.
Historically the UK is a world leader in biomedical societies. Let’s try to keep it that way.
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