ETH Zurich advocates responsible animal research and opposes bans

On 11 November 2024, the initiators submitted the federal popular initiative ¡°Yes to an animal-free future¡± to the Swiss Federal Chancellery. This initiative calls for a complete ban on animal testing in Switzerland. If accepted, it would directly affect ETH Zurich: all animal experiments for basic research, education and training as well as all animal experiments involving severe stress (severity level 3) would be banned with immediate effect. All other animal experiments would be prohibited after seven years at the latest. The trade, keeping and breeding of animals for the purpose of animal testing would also be banned.

In response, swissuniversities, the umbrella organisation of Swiss universities, today issued a statement regarding the initiative. They warned that a ¡°Yes to an animal-free future¡± would jeopardise Switzerland¡¯s status as a location for research and innovation, harming the Swiss population by preventing important new findings and solutions, particularly in the areas of health, nutrition and the environment. Swissuniversities emphasised that research involving animals is carried out responsibly in Switzerland and benefits humans, animals and the environment, recalling that the Swiss electorate had already clearly rejected a ban on animal testing in 2022. The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) also warned of the consequences of a ban on Monday.

Reducing animal testing voluntarily

A complete ban on animal experiments would make it impossible to continue many research projects and even entire research areas at ETH Zurich. However, ETH Zurich recognises the importance of public debate on animal experiments, as it is continuously driving forward research into alternative methods. In recent years, ETH has developed various new and more animal-friendly research techniques. As a result, ETH researchers are already actively working on reducing the number of animal experiments and are responding to the impetus of the popular initiative. In Switzerland, every experiment involving animals must be authorised by a cantonal veterinary authority. These experiments are only permitted if there are no equivalent alternative methods. Consequently, animal research is already subject to stringent regulations in Switzerland. According to the Animal Protection Index (API) ranking, Switzerland has some of the strictest animal protection policies and legislation in the world.

More research into low-stress methods

To minimise the burden on animals, particularly in basic biomedical research, and to gain new insights while using as few animals as possible, the 3R approaches are constantly being enhanced at ETH Zurich. The term ¡°3R¡± stands for ¡°replace, reduce, refine¡± and encompasses those research approaches that minimise the number of animals used, the stress they experience and improve animal welfare in husbandry.    

This year, ETH Zurich has further intensified its 3R research by establishing the ETH 3R Hub. This Hub focuses on developing new 3R methods and consolidating existing and new knowledge about 3R practices at ETH. It also supports research groups and students in their implementation. Its overarching goal is the continuous improvement of animal welfare standards.

In certain research projects that explore completely new territory, there is often still no alternative to animal testing. Specifically, there are currently hardly any alternatives available for research projects that investigate complex interrelationships within the body ¨C such as in neuroscience, immunology and cancer research. These research questions must be conducted in whole organisms. Accordingly, medical, biological and neurological research currently cannot proceed without animal testing, as no equivalent alternatives exist.

Beyond biomedical laboratory experiments involving rodents ¨C such as mice and rats ¨C and birds, agricultural research into the utilisation of feed by livestock, developmental and behavioural studies of deer and research into animal-friendly hydraulic engineering involving fish would be significantly hindered or largely prohibited. In the event of a ban, it can also be assumed that basic pharmaceutical trials would need to be relocated abroad.