Where there is a will, there isa way
Herman B.W.M. Koëter, M.Sc., D.Tox., ERTManaging Director,
Orange House Partnership npoandChairman,
Netherlands National Committee for the protection of animals
used for scientific purposes

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Replace
ReduceRefineOrange●HOuse

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Traditional concept of replacement

3Replace, Reduce, RefineAchievement
since 1960s:
1% of animals
used in regulatory
testingCategories of “scientific purposes”(Dir/ 2010/63/EU)• Educational and professional training,• Regulatory safety testing,• Routine production testing, including– Quality control– Efficacy and tolerance testing• Fundamental research,• Translational and applied research

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Categories of “scientific purposes”(Dir/ 2010/63/EU)• Educational and professional training,• Regulatory safety testing,• Routine production testing, including– Quality control– Efficacy and tolerance testing• Fundamental research,• Translational and applied research

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Orange●

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Dir/2010/63/EU:”The purpose of the project justifies
the use of animals”• There are no harmonised criteria for this judgement,
and there never will be• The composition of competent authorities (thatevaluate and authorize projects involving animals)varies considerably, both in number of members and inlevel/width of expertise• Guidance like synthesis of evidence and codes ofpractice are useful but do not truly address science
versus ethical values
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End of story?

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MY POINT ON THE HORIZON

A trueto scientificprogress and innovation without
the need for animal studies
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MY POINT ON THE HORIZON

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Is a transition a realistic
proposition?

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Transition to animal free researchInnovative
science
Societal
influence
OrangePolitics●

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PartnersHiP“There are many roads
that lead to Rome”
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Renewable energy

Renewable energy

Renewable energy

Chaos?

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Visualization of transition

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Essential factors of succes• Governmental support, direction and supervision• In cooperation with the private sector• In cooperation with the public and private sector inother countries• In cooperation with NGOs
• With and by the scientific society• With financial support of all parties• In close contact with society
The transition to fully renewable energy will be successful
once various paths and approaches are combined.
Similary, the transition to scientific research without
experimental animals will be achieved by following andcombining all promising pathways
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TodayTomorrow

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https://english.ncadierproevenbeleid.nl/

NCad@minez.nl

“Aim higherand wider”
Motto of the 11th World
Scouts Jamboree,Marathon, Greece, 196326

Paving the road towards transition• Work together with colleague scientists as it
will strengthen support• Openness and transparency are key as theybring trust• Roadmaps aiming at animal free research will
never fail: whatever the outcome it always
will be a learning process and the starting
point of the next attemptDevelopment of transition targets(road maps)

o List current key research issues and objectives of therespective scientific (sub)domains
o Define the strength and weaknesses of the traditional
methodologies, contributing to the achievement of theoriginal goalo Collect available 3R activities in the selected(sub)domain (investment in creative and promising
animal-free innovations)o Define specific research targets for a set time period(e.g. 10 year)

Development of transition targets (road maps)
o Apply animal-free approaches and innovations that are
currently available or expected to become available in
the forseeable future: include innovations that are usedin related domains
o Provide indications of the successfulness (trends) in
finding animal-free transition targets
o Document yearly capacity and resources invested in 3R
activities as a percentage of the total capacity andresources (to be used to contribute to the ranking of the(sub)domain with respect to animal welfareo Document progress .

Development of transition targets (road maps)
o Don’t lose sight of the original research goal(s),o Introduce regularly focussed brainstorm sessions,involving experts from unrelated research domains,o Involve young scientists with a clean slate and anunprejudiced, open mind,o Seek national and international cooperationo Teach as well as learn to think outside your own
comfort zone.