Ten years ago (2016), the National Committee for the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes (NCad) published its first report advising the government on the transition to an animal-free society. Yesterday, on September 9, 2026, the second report followed: a reassessment and refinement of that initial version. Titled \u2018From Niche to Norm\u2019, the report calls for a decisive government approach to facilitate the transition, placing significant emphasis on the ethical aspects of animal testing. This aligns precisely with the position we outlined years ago in our impact plan (2025\u20132028). However, we also find something missing: a clear deadline for achieving that animal-free society. Read on.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> \u201cFrom niche to norm.\u201d Those words feel remarkably familiar to us. A few years ago, we reached the same conclusion in our own impact plan: simply developing new animal-free methods is not enough. They must be used, trusted, and validated. That is why we focus on precisely those three steps. We view it as a major step forward that the NCad, in its independent advisory role, now also states that the surrounding system must change to achieve this. It is now crucial that these recommendations do not merely remain on paper but are actually put into practice.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> The NCad notes that a great deal has happened over the past decade, but emphasizes that more innovation alone will not lead to an animal-free society. The surrounding system must change.<\/strong> In doing so, the Committee examines the interplay between niche innovations, the existing system, and broader societal developments. The goal: ensuring that animal-free methods can evolve from a niche to standard practice. We recognize this strategy from the well-known \u2018Theory of Change\u2019\u2014the steps required to bring about genuine change.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>A foreword<\/span><\/h2>\n
Key message of the advice<\/span><\/h2>\n
A strategy with 5 pillars<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n