1 The 3R principles
The principles of the 3Rs concerning animal experimentation were postulated in 1959 by William Russell and Rex Burch in a book entitled Principles of Humane Experimental Technique. The principles are today internationally widely recognized by scientists as a moral obligation. They are moreover implemented in many national legislations on animal protection.
We recommend using these principles and associated resources as guidance to improve research data management. Generating reusable data will help reduce research waste and maximize the utility of animal experiments.
| Principle | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Replacement | Methods that achieve a purpose without conducting experiments or procedures on animals. | Approaches that do not use living animals, such as cultured cells, tissues, organs, and in silico computational methods.Use of animals that are not considered capable of experiencing suffering, such as some invertebrates and immature vertebrates. |
| Reduction | Methods that obtain comparable information using fewer animals or maximize data collection from the same number of animals. | Reduction strategies include: Optimization of breeding programs, experimental design, and statistical analysis. Sharing animal materials (organs, tissues, cells). Using longitudinal instead of cross-sectional measurements. Reducing unexplained variation in data |
| Refinement | Methods that minimize pain, suffering, and distress while enhancing animal well-being. | Improving housing, handling, anesthesia, and analgesia.Habituation to procedures and execution of humane endpoints. Developing better tools to assess suffering and well-being. |
1.1 The Swiss 3R Competence Centre
The Swiss 3R Competence Centre swiss3RCC is a national center that promotes research, education and communication for the replacement, reduction and refinement of animal experimentation (3Rs principle).
Use their website as a hub to find the most important resources related to the 3R principles. Their activities include:
Funding of projects and initiatives advancing 3R principles.
Education & training.
Sharing knowledge on best practices for animal welfare.
Events promoting animal welfare in research.
Awards to recognize contributions to the 3Rs.
Research & resources to promotes development of 3Rs methods.
1.2 Swiss 3RCC Network and Partners
The Swiss 3RCC partners are listed in Table 1.2. More information on the extended network including observer members, 3Rs centers and international partners can be found in their website: https://swiss3rcc.org/network-and-partners.