Recent News

Today (Thursday, 23 October 2025) the government has released its annual statistics on the number of animals used in scientific, medical and veterinary research in 2023. 

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The figures show that 2,637,578 procedures were carried out in Great Britain in 2024, 1.6% less than in 2023.

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Find out more from our colleagues at UAR

Today, the Home Office have published a revised version of the 2014 Guidance on the operation of ASPA, with Section 9 removed and references to Section 9 replaced.

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The new guidance sets the governance framework for training and continuous professional development under ASPA, the specific training requirements for licensing under ASPA and the associated learning outcomes.

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Guidance on the Operation of ASPA

You will have probably seen the recent media coverage on cosmetic testing in the UK and what appears to be a shift in government policy. The NC3Rs put out a statement which explained the position https://nc3rs.org.uk/use-animals-cosmetic-testing-including-reach-regulation

 

On the 17th May the Government announced that no new licences will be granted for animal testing of chemicals that are exclusively intended to be used as ingredients in cosmetics products.

A written Ministerial statement setting this out can be found here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2023-05-17/hcws779

 

A further statement was released by the NC3Rs on the 17th May 2023 in response to the Ministerial statement effectively banning the testing of cosmetic ingredients in animals for the purpose of worker protection. Please see https://nc3rs.org.uk/worker-and-environmental-safety-assessment-cosmetic-ingredients

 

The IAT does not wish to see animals used unnecessarily, for worker and environmental safety of chemicals used exclusively as 

cosmetic ingredients, and aligns with the comments within the NC3Rs statement.

Volume 24, August 2025 of Animal Technology & Welfare Journal is now published. Click below to visit the ATW Journal Website.

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ATW Journal

FELASA Working Group recommendations on pain management in zebrafish

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Pain Management in Zebrafish - FELASA Working Group Report

A joint document by LASA, LAVA and IAT has been revised. The Guiding Principles for Named Persons provides a detailed overview of the roles and responsibilities for each Named Person under ASPA 1986

To read the document please click below

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Guiding Principles for Named Persons

Today, the government released its annual Animals in Science Regulation Unit report for 2023.

The report describes the work of the ASRU during 2023 in regulating work under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 . 
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ASRU Annual Report 2023

Following a meeting with the Head of the Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) we would like to share the following advice when applying to become a NACWO. 

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Guidance on applying for NACWO status on ASPeL

The IAT are delighted to be long standing supporters of AS-ET.​

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The charity provides charity funding to technicians for education. Please visit their website at the link below.

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See our Certificate of Support here