New stats on animals used in science reveal a modest decline but persistent challenges

The latest EU statistics on animal use in scientific procedures in 2023 show a 4.9% decrease compared to the previous year, bringing numbers back to pre-COVID-19 levels. However, nearly 8 million animals were still used for scientific purposes, with countries like Norway, France, Germany, and Spain using over 5.3 million animals for first-time procedures. Mice and fish remain the most commonly used animals, but there were alarming increases in the use of hamsters, sea bass, cephalopods, and other carnivores.

While there have been some positive signs, such as a decrease in the use of non-human primates and animal use for regulatory testing, challenges persist. The continued use of the mouse ascites method, a painful procedure with available alternatives, is particularly concerning. More action is needed to bridge the gap between non-animal methods and actual use, and to accelerate the adoption of alternative testing methods to reduce animal experimentation.