Revealed: UCL used animals in 200,000 scientific procedures in 2015

UCL carried out over 200,00  scientific procedures on animals 2015, according to official data.

Information released on the UCL website shows a total of 202,554 tests were performed on animals last year.

Out of the species used, the most common were mice comprising 67 per cent, zebra fish on 27 per cent and rats making up five per cent.

Other species involved included rabbits, which were used on 108 procedures, 53 were carried out on pigs and six on Rhesus Monkeys.

According to the data, dogs and cats were not used as test subjects.

Although information on specific experiments is unavailable, animals are often used for medical research well as to test new treatments. Genetically altered or transgenic mice are often used to understand human diseases. They can also be genetically altered in order to find out functions of individual genes.

By law, animals used in scientific research have to be killed at the end of the procedure unless otherwise stated by a vet.

According to the Guidance on the Operation of the Animals Scientific Procedures Act 1986, a ‘regulated procedure’ is one that ‘…may cause (an animal) a level of pain suffering, distress or lasting harm equivalent to, or higher than, that caused by inserting a hypodermic syringe according to good veterinary practice’.

More information on animal testing at UCL in 2015 can be found here.