RSPCA views strengthened by report on ICL animal research practices
‘Respect for animals was clearly lacking’
The RSPCA has carefully reviewed the findings of an independent report into the culture and practices around animal research at Imperial College London.
The Brown Report did not look at the specific allegations made by the BUAV in May 2013, as these are being separately investigated by the Home Office, which is due to report early in 2014. However, it found a catalogue of serious shortcomings in relation to the university’s operational, leadership, management, training, supervisory and ethical review systems – many of which would have a ‘substantive impact’ upon animal welfare and the implementation of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement of the use of animals in experiments).
The report indicates a stark contrast between the attitudes of the committed and engaged, but over-worked and undervalued animal care staff, and many of the research scientists who appeared woefully complacent, uninterested or unengaged with the need to fully implement the 3Rs, reduce suffering and improve animal welfare. It also highlights areas of serious concern relating to ethical review, internal communication and the way in which animal welfare issues are raised and dealt with within Imperial.
Dr Maggy Jennings OBE, the RSPCA’s Chief Scientific Officer said: “The RSPCA has simply had enough of being told that everything is done to ‘the highest possible standards’, when this is demonstrably not the case. The Brown Report strengthens our view that in many establishments, people using animals in experiments are not taking seriously their responsibilities to implement the letter of the law and do absolutely everything possible to reduce animal suffering. Any sort of respect for the animals they used was clearly lacking.
“The shameful catalogue of failings and inadequacies at one of the country’s largest and most influential academic institutions should be a wake-up call to the rest of the scientific community and the organisations representing them. It is just not good enough to hide behind rhetoric, spin and empty promises. Grandiose declarations and policy statements mean nothing unless they are backed up with action. It is incomprehensible that this establishment had the audacity to sign up to the recent Declaration on Openness, which asserts that research ‘meets the highest welfare standards’ at a time when it was so dismally failing to live up to this ideal.”
“Imperial College prides itself on its high quality science. It is a great pity that the University did not apply the same principles to the animals it uses. Given that good science is dependent on good animal welfare, some of the biomedical research undertaken at Imperial College may be on shakier foundations than the institution would like to believe.”
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Notes
The Brown Report (‘Independent Investigation into Animal Research at Imperial College London’) is available here: http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/research/animal-research/response
The BUAV footage and allegations are available here: http://licensedtokill.buav.org
We have previously questioned claims from the animal research community regarding statements suggesting that everything is done “to the highest possible standards”, e.g: www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/barney-reed/lab-animal-standards_b_3960989.html
The Declaration on Openness can be found here: http://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/policy/concordat-on-openness-on-animal-research/
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