Election scan: what do the political parties say about animal-free innovation?

Definition animal-free innovation

Good to know: to us, animal-free innovation means research in which no laboratory animals have been used to develop, approve, or test a medicine or product. Instead, alternative models such as organoids, organs-on-chips, or plastinates are used.

To ensure that animal-free research becomes the norm, several areas will need to be invested in, such as:

1. Better education about and with animal-free research models
2. Regulation that allows the use of alternatives
3. Structural funding for the development and application of animal-free research models.

All of this constitutes as animal-free innovation.

Why this topic is important

9 out of 10 animal experiments result in non-functioning medicines for humans (and can even be harmful to humans). That’s far too many. Additionally, more ethical and effective research models are already in the pipeline. It’s high time for them to permanently replace laboratory animals. This is not only better for animals, but also for our own health and safety. We recently reminded political parties not to overlook laboratory animals in their election programs. Now, we can finally see if they have heeded our call.

The election scan: these parties advocate for animal-free innovation

We have read the party programs of all political parties currently holding a seat in the Dutch House of Representatives. Specifically, we looked at what they said or did not say about animal testing and animal-free innovation. For each party, we answer the question: Does the party advocate for animal-free innovation?

Here are the results:

Scroll through the images.

Most parties are silent, except for… Partij voor de Dieren

The good news: none of the parties explicitly support the use of laboratory animals in research. The less pleasant news: most parties don’t mention the topic at all. D66 stands out in this regard. It is a party often present in debates on this theme and acknowledges that laboratory animals should no longer be the norm. However, this standpoint did not make it into the election program.

The ChristenUnie also remains silent on the matter, despite having provided the Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality, who oversees animal testing in the Netherlands.

Furthermore, some parties express opinions on animal welfare in general, but laboratory animals are consistently overlooked.

The Partij voor de Dieren, however, is outspoken and provides the most concrete steps on how we can eliminate animal testing by investing in animal-free innovation.

In our view, there is still much work to be done for many of our political parties. If we want better and safer medicines, animals should no longer be in the lab. Our fight continues; we remain actively engaged with the government, we lobby for better policies, and we continue our collaboration with organizations like TPI.

Do you want to contribute too? Urge the government to put an end to animal testing and emphasize the importance of animal-free innovation.