Some 575,000 animals were used in scientific experiments in Switzerland last year, up 3% from 2020 and the first increase in five years, reports the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO).
Testing involving the highest level of pain for the animals (grade 3) rose by 31%, while grade 2 testing rose 10% and grade 1 by 13%, according to a FSVO press releaseExternal link on Tuesday. Mice were the animals most frequently used.
Approximately 93% of the grade 3 experiments were carried out as part of research on human diseases such as cancer and neurological diseases like dementia and multiple sclerosis. A sharp increase in grade 3 experiments has been observed since 2014, said the FSVO.
In 2021, the federal government launched a research programme to reduce the number of animal experiments in research and to reflect on ethical and societal issues, but animal testing remains at a high level, notes the office. “Experience shows that it may take several years before such measures begin to bear fruit,” said the FSVO.
It assumes that some experiments planned for 2020 were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and were only carried out in 2021, which may help explain the increase.
The Swiss League against Animal Testing and for Animal Rights (LSCV) called the latest statistics “a scandal”. It noted the pain of the animals, for example due to tumours which are introduced into their bodies.
The committee that launched a popular initiative to ban animal testing and the import of medicines tested on animals, which Swiss voters rejected in February, said it wanted to launch a new initiative that would not include the import ban. In 40 years, the Swiss people have already voted five times on the issue of animal testing.
Popular Stories
More
Culture
Documentary portrays Swiss teenagers forced to return to parents’ homeland
Swiss village gets half a million amid rockfall threat as some residents resist evacuation
This content was published on
The Swiss village of Brienz has been granted CHF500,000 due to a rockfall threat. But some residents are questioning the authorities’ evacuation orders.
This content was published on
Starting Wednesday, Swiss researchers will have access to the European Research Council’s Proof of Concept Grants, said the European Commission.
Switzerland fined for denying asylum for gay Iranian
This content was published on
Switzerland violated the prohibition on inhuman treatment by considering that a gay Iranian could be returned to his country.
Gestational diabetes found to increase risk of adult-onset diabetes
This content was published on
A research team from the Lake Geneva region has identified persistent dysfunctions in glucose regulation in women with gestational diabetes. In the long term, this can increase the risk of adult-onset diabetes by up to ten times.
Swiss village must be evacuated by midday on Sunday
This content was published on
The village of Brienz-Brinzauls in eastern Switzerland, which is threatened by a rockfall, must be evacuated by 1pm on Sunday. All residents must leave the village.
This content was published on
A former judge of the Graubünden Administrative Court in eastern Switzerland has been found guilty of rape, sexual harassment and threatening a former trainee.
Costs and care time increase in Swiss retirement and nursing homes
This content was published on
In 2023 the costs of retirement and nursing homes increased by 5% compared to 2022 and those of assistance and care at home by 7%. Together, they amounted to CHF15 billion.
This content was published on
Almost half of the population in Switzerland shows clear to pronounced signs of smartphone addiction, according to a survey.
Animal testing drops in Switzerland despite Covid research
This content was published on
Approximately 556,000 animals were used for experimental purposes in Switzerland last year, according to statistics compiled by the Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (FVOV). That figure represents a drop of 2.8% compared to 2019 and a decrease of 18% relative to 2015, when the downward trend started. Restrictions imposed by the government to deal with…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.