Our Animals in Research Policy

The Royal Osteoporosis Society does not fund animal research.

As members of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), we support its statement on Animals in Research. The full statement is available on their website.

Medical research is carried out to help promote and improve health. It also seeks to prevent and treat disease. Research involving animals has been fundamental to understanding how the body functions in health and disease and to the development of modern medicines and surgical procedures. Such research has provided and continues to provide the essential foundation for improvements in medical knowledge, education and practice.

The AMRC and its members would like to see future advances made without research involving animals. However, work with animals continues to be essential in some aspects of medical research. The AMRC therefore supports such work where no alternative exists, and where it is carried out according to best practice as set out in legislation. The AMRC works closely with the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs; www.nc3rs.org.uk). The 3Rs are accepted as basic principles of humane experimental technique

• Replacing animal experiments wherever possible by non-animal methods.
• Refining the experimental procedures to minimise the pain, suffering or distress caused to animals and improve welfare.
• Reducing the number of animals used in an experiment to the minimum necessary for reliable results.

In line with this statement, we will continue to publicise relevant medical research which involves animals in our membership publications and at our scientific conference.

Useful download:

• Animals in Research Policy