Sustainability Investors Media Reporting Careers Contact us Worldwide Search About us Our products How we work Our industry Research and development Using science to increase our understanding Since 2012, we have invested approximately US$2.5 billion in developing and commercialising our range of Next Generation Products (NGPs), such as vapour products and tobacco heating products (THPs). Research and development is an important part of our business, and has been for more than 60 years. We make significant investments in R&D to deliver innovations that satisfy or anticipate consumer preferences and generate growth for the business across all categories. The main focus of this investment is in our NGPs, while we also conduct R&D into our conventional cigarette innovations. World-class science Our R&D has undergone major changes in recent times, embracing new technology, methodologies and consumer trends. We have an extensive scientific research programme in a broad spectrum of scientific fields including molecular biology, toxicology and chemistry. Our main R&D Centre is based in Southampton in the UK, supported by R&D teams based in many locations around the world. The research we conduct also includes work undertaken in collaboration with global external researchers. We use a wide range of analytical techniques, specialised laboratory technology and expertise to test our products to ensure high standards of consumer safety and product quality. We’ve also developed a framework of scientific tests to assess the reduced-risk potential of NGPs relative to smoking cigarettes. This includes testing everything from how consumers use a product and the content of the vapour it produces, to the biological impact of the vapour on cells in laboratory tests and, ultimately, the likely impact of the availability of that product on consumer health. Our commitment It’s our job to demonstrate the positive effects our research can have. We place real value on robust, evidence-based and independent scientific findings and we think our science should be judged on its merits. There are several myths around tobacco and nicotine products that only science can help to dispel. For example, it’s now widely acknowledged that it’s largely the toxicants in tobacco smoke which cause the majority of smoking-related disease – and not the nicotine in tobacco. The challenges We are working to develop potentially reduced risk products and to secure the support of public health professionals and regulators as we bring them to market. Tobacco companies, scientists and regulators need to work together to ensure a science-based approach to assessing new products that potentially pose less risk than conventional cigarettes. This will provide consumers with the assurance that the product information they receive is based on sound, evidence-based science and allow them to make an informed choice based on the risk profile of different products. What are we doing? We will always be transparent about our science. This is central to our approach. We publish details of our scientific research on www.bat-science.com and submit the results of our research to peer-reviewed scientific journals, irrespective of the findings. This involves an assessment by independent experts to determine whether it is of sufficient quality to be published. We also contribute to debates around tobacco harm reduction at conferences and in publications and reports. In 2018, we published the Science and Technology Report 2017/18 , which explores the evolution of tobacco science and highlights the alternatives to smoking we have developed. All of our clinical studies are approved by the relevant independent ethics committees before initiation and the majority of our product testing is through independent scientific laboratories and research organisations. Animal testing We prefer not to test our products on animals and currently do not do this routinely. We keep the subject under constant review with the long-term aim of being able to phase it out. We have invested for many years in the development and use of alternative tests. Most of our product assessment relies on scientific literature, chemical analyses and biological tests based on cell cultures (‘in vitro’ tests). Most of our resource in this area has been and continues to be aimed at developing non-animal based in vitro tests within our research centres and with external research organisations. Where there is no recognised alternative, animal testing involving laboratory rodents may occasionally have to be done to meet legal and regulatory requirements or public health expectations, particularly in support of new, potentially reduced-risk products. None of our laboratories has facilities for live animal work, so any that has to be done is contracted to external research organisations, licensed by government authorities. In 2017, we received recognition from the PETA International Science Consortium Ltd for our significant contribution to help advance non-animal testing. Take a look back over six decades of R&D at British American Tobacco Sixty years of science External links bat-science.com Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco Step inside: Explore our R&D labs Take a look inside our labs and meet some of the scientists behind the science How we work Sustainable agriculture and farmer livelihoods Environmental and supply chain management Manufacturing Human rights and Modern Slavery Act Research and development Sixty years of science Leaf research R&D virtual tour Marketing our products responsibly Working with retailers Home How we work Research and development Latest tweets BAT Science @BAT_Sci #InVitro toxicological assessment is hugely important as a tool for BAT to assess our vaping and tobacco heating pr… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 02 Oct Our UK & Ireland Head of Legal & Ext Affairs Will Hill addresses vaping event, talking about BAT's commitmen… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 02 Oct Current UK share price 3557.00p +54.00p 02 Oct 2018 16:58 Quick Links Modern Slavery Act Statement Gender Pay Report Annual Report Sustainability Report Share price data Worldwide websites Email alerts Site map Contact us British American Tobacco p.l.c. 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