| Description |
The number of laboratory animals used for scientific and other purposes has been steadily rising during recent years. The growing use of transgenic animals is a major contributory factor to
this trend. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) in Berlin, Germany, invited experts from Germany and Europe to evaluate the current status and value of transgenic animal models
and to identify ways to curtail their increasing use. For the purposes of this report, transgenic animals are defined as genetically modified organisms in which either genes have been selectively inactivated or xenogenous genetic material has been incorporated into their genome. Starting on May 18, 2009, 53 experts gathered at the BfR to join a three-day workshop to discuss and evaluate alternatives to the use of transgenic animals for scientific purposes and to identify important areas of future research related to this topic. Discussions were focused on opportunities and strategies to reduce the growing number of transgenic laboratory animals. Here, the so-called “3Rs principle” that seeks to replace, reduce or refine animal experiments, constituted the basis and frame of the discussions. |