The UK Animals in Science Committee (ASC) has released a report [LINK] on the forced swim test, focusing on its severity, its validity and the opportunity for implementing each of the 3Rs within the test. The reviews (point 8.4) concludes that ‘[…] we have found no evidence of reliable, reproducible and accepted non-animal alternatives to the FST where it has been accepted that its use is scientifically justified’. Nevertheless, the ASC recommended that research should be conducted into non-animal methods for studying depression, antidepressants, and other areas of research where the FST is used.
Further details on policy news and issues related with animal research in Europe can be found at www.eara.eu
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