Today, the UK Government has announced its first-ever strategy to phase out animal testing in science.

The strategy, ‘Replacing animals in science’, delivers on a key pledge from the Labour Party’s election manifesto to set out a clear plan to reduce and ultimately phase out the use of animals in research.

The Humane Research Trust welcomes the move as a vital first step towards a future where no animal suffers for science. Backed by new funding and a commitment to innovation, the roadmap signals a shift - but much more remains to be done.

The roadmap: a starting point for change

The government’s strategy sets out a framework for how animal experiments will begin to be replaced in the UK. It introduces a tiered model for prioritising which tests can be phased out first, alongside a series of commitments aimed at supporting researchers, funders, and regulators to adopt non-animal methods.

The government describes this strategy as a beginning, with the long-term goal of eliminating animal use in “all but exceptional circumstances.” This ambition is welcome, but delivery will depend on how these commitments are implemented.

A tiered approach to phasing out animal tests

The roadmap groups animal tests into three categories:

• Basket 1: Tests ready for rapid replacement
  Includes: pyrogen testing, skin and eye irritation, botox potency tests
• Basket 2: Tests needing further development
  Includes: forced swim test, fish toxicity, pharmacokinetic studies
• Basket 3: Tests with no current validated alternatives,
  Includes: fish endocrine disruption tests

Set phase-out targets

The government has committed to specific targets for a number of outdated animal tests, such as:

• Rabbit pyrogen test: to be phased out by the end of 2025
• Botulinum toxin potency testing: to be replaced by 2027
• Forced swim test: no new licences; existing ones expire by 2028

Commitments to support the transition

The strategy also includes a range of supporting actions to help embed non-animal methods across the research system:

• A new UK Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (UKCVAM) by 2026
• A £30 million preclinical translational models hub to develop human-relevant models
• ‘Validation Accelerator’ grants to fast-track promising alternatives
• A public dashboard of key performance indicators from 2026
• A restart of the public attitudes survey on animal research
• Foundational training in non-animal methods for early-career researchers
• Support for funders to scrutinise animal use more rigorously in grant decisions
• Regular publication of priority areas for alternative methods
• Encouragement for journal editors to publish studies using non-animal approaches

Together, these commitments signal a shift in how the UK approaches animal research, but they also highlight where further ambition is needed.

Our vision for meaningful change

As the UK’s largest charitable funder of exclusively animal-free medical research, we welcome the government’s commitment to increased funding and regulatory reform. But to ensure this roadmap delivers meaningful change, The Humane Research Trust believes the following areas deserve further attention:

• Include basic research
  Over half of all animal experiments take place in basic research, yet the roadmap sets no binding targets or deadlines for reducing animal use in this area. We urge the government to develop future strategies to address this gap directly.
• Focus funding on innovation
  The £75 million investment is a positive start, but may be spread thinly across infrastructure, governance, and training. Ring-fenced support for researchers developing human-relevant alternatives is urgently needed to deliver real impact.
• Strengthen legal frameworks
  We hope to see future updates include a review of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act (ASPA), to strengthen the legal obligation to use non-animal methods wherever they exist. We also urge the government to consider introducing new legislation to make the strategy’s timelines and commitments legally binding.
• Support systemic change
  We welcome the roadmap’s commitments to improve training, funding scrutiny, and publishing standards. These are important steps toward embedding non-animal methods across the research ecosystem, and we encourage the government to back them with clear timelines and accountability.

We remain committed to supporting researchers who are leading the way. Their work is already demonstrating that it’s possible to deliver medical breakthroughs without relying on animal experiments - and we’ll continue to champion their efforts as part of our vision for a future where science is driven by compassion and innovation.

Dr Alison Giles, CEO of The Humane Research Trust, said:

What happens next?

The roadmap sets out a timeline for phasing out specific tests, with the first milestones due by the end of 2025. A new UK Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods will be established, and a public dashboard will track progress from 2026.

THRT will continue to monitor delivery closely and advocate for faster, broader action - including binding targets for basic research and increased funding for scientists developing human-relevant models.

We invite our supporters to stay informed, share this update, and help us champion a future where science is driven by compassion and innovation.

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