Slovak National Platform for Three Rs (SNP 3Rs) will stimulate development and implementation of the alternative methods to animal experimentations in Slovakia.”
The princples of 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) were developed over 50 years ago by Russell and Burch providing a framework for performing more humane animal research. The 3Rs principles have been since then embedded in national and international legislation and regulations on the use of animals in scientific procedures, as well as in the policies of organisations that conduct animal research.
The idea for establishment of 3Rs center in Slovakia was under the discussion among the Slovak scientists, regulators and industry already since 2015. Strategy concept of a national 3Rs center was presented at the TOXCON 2016 Conference, organized by the Slovak Toxicology Society SETOX in High Tatras, and further discussed between several members of the National Committee for Alternative Methods (NOVS) at the EUROTOX 2017 Congress in Bratislava.
As a follow up, the Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development of Slovak Republic organized in February 2018 an informal meeting of NOVS members, invited experts in toxicology and pharmacology, representatives of Slovak Academy of Science and academia, industry representatives and governmental organizations involved in the implementation of the EU legislation on animal welfare and protection in order to discuss the collaboration between the parties and to express an interest and formal support to the national 3Rs center.
The attendees of that meeting fully endorsed an establishment of the Slovak National Platform for Three Rs (SNP 3Rs) that should stimulate development and implementation of the alternative methods in Slovakia.”
The SNP 3Rs will operate with support of SETOX and its mission will be to provide information, resources, and practical guidelines on the 3Rs principles of Russell and Burch
in science, education, research and development.
For more information please contact:
Dr. Helena Kandarova, Vice-president SETOX, kandarova@centrum.sk
